Events

On Art Song and Metamorphosis: Milkweed Hosts Album Launch for Bill Holm’s Playing Haydn for the Angel of Death

Brianna Reed — 05/14/2025

On May 6th, Milkweed Editions hosted a concert and album release party for late poet Bill Holm’s Playing Haydn for the Angel of Death. The album—a musical rendition of the late author’s namesake poem—was composed by Martha Helen Schmidt, sung by operatic baritone Ryan Hugh Ross, and accompanied by pianist Dr. Daniel Rieppel. They were joined by Milkweed Editions founder Emilie Buchwald, and visiting poets Freya Manfred and Barton Sutter. Together, they conjured Open Book into a concert hall to demonstrate the mastery of poetics, the transformative power of art song, and how Bill Holm challenged

Anna Nygren

Anna Nygren is an autistic, queer, and neuroqueer writer, artist, and translator. They are the author of several previous Swedish-language works, including their play-experimental translation of Hannah Emerson’s chapbook You Are Helping This Great Universe Explode.

Polly Atkin

Polly Atkin is an award-winning nature writer, memoirist, and poet. She has previously taught English Literature and Creative Writing at Queen Mary University of London, Strathclyde University, Lancaster University, and the University of Cumbria.