NEW YORK FESTIVAL OF SONG—the group that “charms audiences with programs that combine meticulous research with an infectious strain of vocal hedonism” (The New York Times)—joins forces with Five Boroughs Music Festival to present MANNING THE CANON: Songs of Gay Life at The LGBT Community Center (The Center) on Tuesday, June 25 at 7:30 p.m. A preview performances takes place Saturday, June 22 at 8:00 p.m. in Orient, NY.

This musical portrait of life, love and loss in the world of gay men returns after its celebrated 2010 premiere, which garnered a rave review in The New York Times.

NYFOS Artistic Director and pianist Steven Blier leads a stellar quartet of vocalists in a program spanning the course of two centuries, from the German lied represented by Schubert’s “Der Gondelfahrer” (set to a text by his roommate and probable paramour, Johann Mayrhofer) to John Wallowitch’s uproarious cabaret song “Bruce,” filled with fashion tips for a befuddled drag queen.

NYFOS is known for its daring programming, and Manning the Canon is a classic example. It offers an enormous range of repertoire in myriad styles, exhaustively researched and brilliantly programmed by Artistic Director Steven Blier, and performed by some of the best and brightest singers to be heard anywhere.