In the Stacks: Mandy Brown

A chronic illness can be life-changing, but it doesn’t mean life is over.

In “The Swan Song Can Wait,” soprano Mandy Brown will share her cancer journey through a moving performance about resilience, adaptation, and finding joy after a life-changing diagnosis. Joined by pianist Tatiana Loisha, Brown will blend poetry and music spanning a variety of styles and languages to explore the challenges of illness and the transformative power of creativity. Organized into four chapters—Life Before, Chaos of Diagnosis, Adapting, and New Perspective—the program will trace Brown’s path with honesty, humor, and hope.

Created to challenge assumptions about life and artistry after a serious diagnosis, this intimate recital will celebrate perseverance and the many ways music can sustain us through periods of profound change. A passionate advocate for singers affected by breast cancer, Brown hopes her story will encourage others facing illness to embrace their creativity and discover a path forward.

A Q&A with the artists will follow the performance.