Bullock [is one] of the strongest American actor-singers to emerge in recent years.

She rendered the gorgeous yet not oversweet melodies beautifully, but there was much more than mere vocal allure: superb diction and a compelling stage manner that would have communicated much of the meaning even if the words had not registered so clearly.

Bullock’s voice is certainly one of the most beautiful lyric instruments of her generation: hers is a warm sound, heavy but not inhibited by vibrato with a supple middle and jazzy undertones in her lower register.

The most telling moment in Julia Bullock’s recital on Saturday evening at the Metropolitan Museum of Art came before she’d sung a note. You would expect a musician to bathe in at least a little bit of entrance applause at this, the opening event of one of her most prominent New York showcases to date....