“The most imaginative new piece came later when the L.A. Phil New Music Group premiered Annie Gosfield’s “The Secret Life of Planets: Heavenly Bodies and Earthly Gossip.” ...Written for bass James Hayden as a lounge singer, soprano Hila Plitmann as a voice from outer space and a chamber ensemble... the performance, conducted by David Bloom...proved fabulous.”

“The extraordinarily deep bass of James Hayden opens Movement VI “Now the Hour Bows Down” with Rilke’s dramatic text sung in German.”

“...bass (James Hayden) is part of the languorously sexy “Venus” movement that follows, offering camp intimations of some bisexual Elvis business.”