Charles Dickens on Pauline Viardot
The most talked of opera singer in Europe
This performance has been rescheduled from 23rd March to 3rd September.
Maria McGrann, soprano
Sarah Richmond, mezzo-soprano
Niall Kinsella, piano
Maria Malibran (1808-1836)
En soupirant
Frederic Chopin (1810-1849), arr. Pauline Viardot
Separation
Faible Coeur!
Sieze ans
Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)
La Regata Veniziana
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)
Apres une reve
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
O quand je dors
Pauline Viardot (1821-1910)
Havanaise
Sérénade Florentine
Rossignol, Rossignolet
Hai Luli!
Sérénade
Berceuse Cosaque
Madrid
Pauline Viardot devised by Niall Kinsella
Excerpts from “An Hour of Study”
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) arr. Pauline Viardot
Les Bohémiennes
The French singer of Spanish-descent Pauline Viardot-Garcia was one of the most revered operatic mezzo-sopranos (and sopranos!) of her day. Often described as the “Maria Callas of the 19th Century”, Viardot was also a prolific composer, a noted voice teacher, and a muse to many writers and composers.
Her social and professional circle included, among others, Gounod, Saint-Säens, Fauré, the Schumanns and Brahms, many of whom dedicated works to Pauline. Frederic Chopin accompanied her in London recitals and even authorized her arrangements of his Nocturnes as vocal works, and Franz Liszt proclaimed her as a composer of genius. Novelist George Sand modeled the title role of her novella Consuelo on Pauline, and a tumultuous love affair with the Russian poet Ivan Turgenev lead to a prolific artistic collaboration between the two.
This concert marking the 200th Anniversary year of Viardot’s birth features songs by Rossini, Viardot’s sister Maria Malibran, Fauré, Liszt, Chopin and of course, Pauline Viardot, along with a background to her life and times.
Northern Irish soprano Maria McGrann has performed leading roles with many of Ireland’s leading opera companies including Irish National Opera, Northern Ireland Opera, Buxton Festival, British Youth Opera, and has performed extensively on the oratorio platform, in works such as Mozart’s C Minor Mass and Coronation Mass, Handel’s Messiah, and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. Maria is a graduate of Queen’s University School of Music Belfast and continued her studies at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Maria was then accepted to the NI Opera Young Artist’s Programme where she made her BBC Radio debut as soloist with the Ulster Orchestra.
Mezzo-soprano Sarah Richmond has been concert soloist for prominent conductors such as Vasily Petrenko, Gergely Madaras and Sir Mark Elder. She has been broadcast internationally as Willie in Guglielmo Ratcliff at Wexford Festival Opera and as a soloist for IRFU. Roles have varied from Rosina Il Barbiere di Siviglia to Dritte Dame Die Zauberflöte; spanning periods from Dido Dido and Aeneas to Gwendolen in Barry’s The Importance of Being Earnest and genre from Bianca/Gabriella La Rondine to Peep Bo The Mikado. She was an ENO Opera Works Artist and NI Opera Young Artist.
Pianist Niall Kinsella studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna and at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, completing his studies in Lieder accompaniment at the Franz-Schubert-Institut, in Baden-be-Wien, Austria, and at the International Summer Academy of the Mozarteum University, Salzburg. His debut CD “The Complete Songs & Airs of John F. Larchet” will be released internationally on Champs Hill Records (UK) this year, and his second CD, of Schubert lieder, for Austrian label Gramola Klassik is also due for international release. Niall is Artistic Director of Irish Songmakers.
Presented by Irish Songmakers