WHAT BELONGS TO YOU | PARTERRE BOX - REVIEW

A little tenderness

The premiere recording of David T. Little’s What Belongs to You reveals a work of both tenderness and artistic tenacity.

June 26, 2026 | by Dawn Fatale

Last October, Kevin Ng published a fascinating profile of author Garth Greenwell here on Parterre Box. In that article, Greenwell discussed the new opera based on his novel What Belongs to You by composer David T Little. Ever since reading about this work, I’ve been eager to experience it. Happily, a recording by the label Bright Shiny Things is being released on June 26. It has surpassed my very high expectations.

The word setting is exemplary. I did not have to refer to the libretto at all, yet I understand all the text.

The excellent vocal writing would not come to life without the extraordinary singing of Karim Sulayman. He conveys the full range of emotions required by the work; it’s as if he has lived with the work for a long time rather than giving its world premiere.

This is a rare recording that gives a nearly complete impression of the experience of a work. Nonetheless, I do hope I get a chance to see this somewhere soon. Do give it a listen and let us know if you saw the premiere.