by Dominick Cross

LAFAYETTE – If I could sing like Sasha Massey, I’d never speak.

I’d sing, sing, sing.

Everything.

I’ve said that before back when I first heard Andre Courville in his farewell concert on his way to New York where’s killing it. I used that line again when I heard Opera de Lafayette’s sopranos Sasha Massey, Brittany Luberda, Stacy Shumaker and bass-baritone Miguel Ochoa sing at a rehearsal and in concert.

But again. If I could sing like Sasha Massey, et al, every word would be a note. Sentences would become ad lib lyrics to a made-up song on the spot, or, to a known melody.

But about Sasha Massey.

She has a recital, “Sorrow and Joy” Sunday (May 27, 2018), 6:30 p.m., at Cathedral Hall, 515 Cathedral St. Jake Spinella with accompany her on piano. You don’t want to miss it. Tickets here.

“The biggest deal about it is to be able to share the music with the people in this area because people from Louisiana – we love the arts, we love supporting the arts – and it’s good to be able to bring in all kinds of music under one roof,” Massey said.

Massey is no longer with L’Opera de Lafayette et Lagniappe. She simply decided to venture out on her own.

“It made more sense for me to venture out on my own because I can make my own schedule,” she said. “It would be easier to coordinate with Jake because we run a tight schedule and we rehearse pretty regularly.”

According to Massey, the material chosen for the concert goes on journey of sadness, elation and a good bit of laughter. There will be song settings of the poetry of Langston Hughes, and a sparkling Offenbach finale of the evening.

Anyway, if I was president, I’d tweet into law a National Song Day .

Every phrase uttered, no matter how mundane, is done in song. At work, at home, everywhere.