This Land • Pentatone 2025
This Land is a probing, nuanced reflection on the kaleidoscopic diversity of stories and journeys that have converged and collided throughout American history, from an artist renowned for her musical explorations off the beaten path. Downes celebrates the beauty of the American experiment while offering an unflinching acknowledgement of its flaws and failings, ultimately embracing the power of hope and humanity as a pathway to finding common ground and building a brighter future. Included is a new reimagining of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Jake Heggie’s Facing Forward.