Manuel Garcia was a celebrated Spanish tenor, the most famous vocal teacher of the 19th century and an affirmed tyrant. His daughters, Maria Malibran and Pauline Viardot, would become respectively the greatest opera superstar of the 19th century and an acclaimed pianist and singer with far-reaching influence. Together their stormy lives intertwined with a glittering array of 19th century musical celebrities from Rossini and Lorenzo da Ponte to Tchaikovsky, Chopin and Faure. All three of them were also composers, and their songs are marked by their vocal prowess.
When I began to research the musical legacy of this extraordinary family for my concert for Art Song Canberra, I was so taken by the fascinating histories of their lives I decided my recital would have to be more lecture-recital than normal, in order to fill my audience in on the amazing people behind the broad scope of songs presented. Some are fiery Spanish ditties, some sophisticated French chansons, some very dramatic (operatic even) and some are clearly vehicles for their writers’ virtuosity. (Which is why, when I put them all together and first tried to run the program I was like, “Oh dear god why have I done this to myself right now” *hehem*) Meanwhile the stories that bookend them range from the hilarious to the tragic (with some being both at once).
When I began to research the musical legacy of this extraordinary family for my concert for Art Song Canberra, I was so taken by the fascinating histories of their lives I decided my recital would have to be more lecture-recital than normal, in order to fill my audience in on the amazing people behind the broad scope of songs presented. Some are fiery Spanish ditties, some sophisticated French chansons, some very dramatic (operatic even) and some are clearly vehicles for their writers’ virtuosity. (Which is why, when I put them all together and first tried to run the program I was like, “Oh dear god why have I done this to myself right now” *hehem*) Meanwhile the stories that bookend them range from the hilarious to the tragic (with some being both at once).
Throw in my first attempts at castanet playing (why, Karen, WHY?) and here is a recital into which I put a lot of myself, because I became so enthralled by the subject matter. Which actually is the BEST way to work and perform, as I think that enthusiasm always comes across on stage!
As earthy, imperfect, idealised, crazy and tragic as these people were, I had a lot of fun presenting pieces by them which are rarely performed (as well as better known songs), and adding my adulation to their legacy.*
*In an equally unusual side note, due to my touching on Viardot’s long-standing affair with the famous Russian writer Ivan Turgenev and a Turgenev expert having got wind of the concert, a flyer for our little concert now resides in the Turgenev Museum in Moscow!
Please follow this link for Len Power's very kind review in City News:
As earthy, imperfect, idealised, crazy and tragic as these people were, I had a lot of fun presenting pieces by them which are rarely performed (as well as better known songs), and adding my adulation to their legacy.*
*In an equally unusual side note, due to my touching on Viardot’s long-standing affair with the famous Russian writer Ivan Turgenev and a Turgenev expert having got wind of the concert, a flyer for our little concert now resides in the Turgenev Museum in Moscow!
Please follow this link for Len Power's very kind review in City News:
