Zadow Rocks !

Baritone Matthew Zadow rocks.

Not because he's a tremendous baritone.
Not because he picked up his family and moved them all to Belgium to hone is craft.
Not because he emails me birthday videos, complete with operatic renditions of Happy Birthday.
Not because he manages to make living an ocean away seem not so far.
Not because you can at once have the most serious and silly conversations with him.

No, Matthew Zadow doesn't rock because of those things.  He rocks because of those things AND he made two + hours of Schuberts "Die Schone Mullerin" (sung in German, with reading of the text in English translation preceeding) moving, engaging and simply amazing. 

So much so, that with my birthday video this year I am requesting a rendition of "Des Baches Wiegenlied", please pretty please.  I know it's a sad one - the poor guy commits suicide - but it's in German and I don't understand it and will likely forget the meaning by December.  I'll just listen to your powerful voice, wonderful music, imagine your facial theatricality and take myself back to "the salon".

Thanks Matthew Zadow.  You rock.