“Sulayman plumbs the songs for the emotional core, sometimes moving into a wispy sotto voce that seems wired directly into his soul. He can also slide effortlessly into a falsetto whose richness and suppleness match his tenor perfectly. Regardless of register or dynamic level, Sulayman always makes an emotional point when he sings.” — Opera News

“Shibe’s music-making is masterful, beautiful and convincing in every way” — The Times

Lebanese-American tenor Karim Sulayman has garnered international attention as a sophisticated and versatile artist, praised for his “lucid, velvety tenor and pop-star charisma” (BBC Music Magazine), as well as his imaginative programming and recording projects. The 2019 Best Classical Solo Vocal Grammy Award winner for his debut album, Songs of Orpheus, he also earned widespread acclaim for his multidisciplinary production, Unholy Wars, a baroque pasticcio centered around the Crusades and the Middle East.

Scottish guitarist Sean Shibe is known for his innovative approach to his instrument and having “one of the most discriminating ears in the business” (Gramophone). Among other accolades, Shibe was awarded the 2022 Leonard Bernstein Award for his ability to combine musical genres and epochs in unusual ways.

In Broken Branches, Sulayman and Shibe examine their own experience of a dynamic, in-between identity in songs by Monteverdi, Britten, Fairuz and more.

Funds provided by the Shirley and Ralph Shapiro Director's Discretionary Fund.