It was first performed by the mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke and the New York Philharmonic under the direction of Alan Gilbert at David Geffen Hall on October 1, 2015.
For all the variety of the vocal part, which evokes instrumental writing in its virtuosity, it was hard to avoid trying to find some meaning in what Ms. Cooke was singing.
The dark, heavy, slow third movement, thick with atonal angst in the orchestra, finally gives the soloist long, searching melodic lines, which Ms. Cooke, singing with warmth and poignancy, made the most of.
The jazzy finale has playful stretches, almost like scatting, as the soloist seems to take defiant command of the proceedings.Tommasini nevertheless added, "Canta-Concerto inventively rattles your expectations of what a work for voice and orchestra can be.
Arlo McKinnon of Opera News was more critical of the work, however, observing:Neikrug seemed to employ the orchestra primarily as a background texture to the singer, not as a partner in dialogue.