" April in Paris" In 1932 Vladimir Dukelsky ( renamed VERNON DUKE by his friend and supporter George Gershwin to Americanize the name for am aspiring popular songwriter) The Russian born classical composer, a contemporary of Igor Stravinsky, teamed with a New York lyricist E.Y Harburg,to write a song evoking all the majesty and thrills of the City OF Light. The verse or separate intro section is placed not at the beginning, as is normal, but tucked away in The middle before the rousing refrain starting with " I never knew the charm of Spring, never met it face-to-face""
Dawn Upshaw, a classicly trained singer ,,unlike many of her contemporaries, does know how to sing American popular songs. As a rule, she doesn't try to reach the balcony as opera singers are required to do.  However, In the middle section, she unleashes her emotional conviction in the songs message as the orchestra also rises to the occasion..

https://youtu.be/u2OkHbT5yFQ