The Natchez Festival of Music presents “The Truth About Love… and the Usual Lies” beginning with a cocktail hour at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Carriage House Restaurant in Natchez.

The cocktail hour also features a silent auction with works by Miss-Lou artists, followed by a 7 p.m. seated dinner with a cash bar, and a performance by Jessica Medoff and Michael Bunchman.

“The Truth About Love” is a musical journey through the ups and downs of love that features songs from “Avenue Q,” Kurt Weill’s “Street Scene,” songs by William Bolcom, classics from the American popular repertoire and more. Enjoy a musical journey about love in all its quirky variations.

Jessica Medoff is lauded for her diversity as a singing actor. She is continually engaged in an impressive array of roles, both comedic and dramatic, among performing arts companies and producers spanning film, television, theatre and opera. With her husband, pianist Michael Bunchman, they have created performances that critics and audiences have praised as their “seamless collaboration.”

In addition to “The Truth About Love,” the duo has created and performed multiple cross-genre recitals for festivals and companies including Santa Barbara Opera, El Paso Opera, Las Cruces Symphony, Oregon Cabaret Theater, Natchez Festival of Music, Festival South and The Cell theater in New York City. They have toured with Garrison Keillor and A Prairie Home Companion in The Netherlands, Scotland and Norway.

Jessica received her undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado and her master’s degree from the University of Michigan, both in classical vocal performance.

Heralded for her commanding stage presence and exceptional dramatic engagement she is sought after on both operatic and musical theater stages as well as stage and screen.

Jon Sobel of blog critics said, “If she does not have a fan club, someone should start one.” Recent musical theater performance highlights include Nettie Fowler in “Carousel” with the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater, Annie Oakley in “Annie Get Your Gun” with the Las Cruces Symphony, and Mayor Bellgoody in “The Toxic Avenger” with Farmers Alley Theater. She has performed one of her signature roles, Aldonza in “Man of La Mancha,” at the Natchez Festival of Music, Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater and most recently 40 performances of the role at Arizona Broadway Theater.  She returns to Arizona Broadway Theater this season to star in “Mama Mia.” 

Michael also received his undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado, where he met a lovely girl in Intro to Music History. As they say, the rest is history!  He received his master’s degree from the esteemed Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

After receiving his master’s degree in piano performance he lived and worked in New York City during which time he performed with the Antara Ensemble, recorded an album of French Melodie for piano and flute with Metropolitan Opera flutist Harold Jones, and collaborated extensively with numerous up and coming singers and instrumentalists.

Upon receiving his doctorate in collaborative piano from the University of Texas-Austin, Michael fulfilled his professional dream of teaching and shaping the next generation of collaborative pianists as the head of Collaborative Piano at the University of Southern Mississippi. 

Their most precious collaboration has been that of their 3-year-old son Henry. They reside in Hattiesburg and New York City and wouldn’t change a thing.

Tickets are available at natchezfestivalofmusic.com or at the door while tickets last. The costs is $75 per person with a portion tax-deductible to support the Natchez Festival of Music.

The Natchez Festival of Music website showcases the May 2019 Season events and tickets are now on sale. We will premier our season with Asleep at the Wheel, infamous Texas swing, boogie-woogie, rockabilly and country music from Austin, Texas. “From Liberace to Woodstock” and from “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” to “La Boheme,” the Festival will hit many high notes this year to entertain you with a variety of musical events.

Please join us for a magical evening on Saturday along with your Valentine.

Fran Trappey is a board member for Natchez Festival of Music.