Music review: Magdalena Kozena at Shriver Hall

The things that make a good song recital happen can be as elusive as alchemy. Part of it is the choice of songs, part is the singer's ability to narrate in music as if simply reciting poetry, and part is the pianist's ability to set the scene. All three of these elements came together in the recital by Magdalena Kozena on Sunday at Shriver Hall, the Czech mezzo-soprano's first in the area since 2009.