The final set of songs I have chosen for this recital were written by the singer and composer Pauline Viardot (1821 – 1910). Viardot, the daughter of Manuel Garcia and the sister of Maria Malibran, was a member of one of the most famous and important singing dynasties of this period. The Garcia family was well known for their interpretations of Rossini’s works, and it is reported that once Viardot decided to become a singer (as opposed to a concert pianist as she initially desired) her first 5 roles were all Rossini heroines.
While the music she composed was mostly for her own students, Liszt proclaimed her to be a “genius” and her songs certainly display both a wide emotional range and an impressive technical mastery. Madrid uses spanish rhythms to portray a sensual depiction of her heritage, Hai Luli is an arrestingly beautiful and plaintive song of love and loss, and Havanaise is a playful demonstration of vocal fireworks.
– Jennifer Rivera, January 2015