Abraza tu Niño Interior Victoria Cadarso

Nothing could be more appropriate in celebrating Victoria de los Angeles’s 75th birthday than this extensive conspectus of her recordings of Spanish song over 40 years. It’s hardly possible in a brief review to do justice to such an astonishing achievement on the part of the Spanish soprano; indeed had she sung nothing else her place in recorded history would be assured.

It is generally accepted that Victoria de Los Angeles possessed one of the most beautiful soprano voices of the 20th Century. Her musicality was supported by a vocal timbre suffused with the bright warmth of an Iberian summer. Her appearances in the concert hall and opera house, and her first recordings, drew the highest accolades from the musical establishment, critics and public. Her personality, excellent technique and dedicated approach would have secured her place as a great singer in any age.

In this live 1973 performance from Japan, Scotto is parthnered by one of the great tenors of our time, José Carreras, then at the start of his international career. The distinguished baritone Sesto Bruscantini is a formidable Germont who sings an exceptionally moving rendition of the famous aria "Di Provenza il mar".

After October 6th collection of Andalusian music, here is another homage by Victoria de los Ángeles to her musical roots. Born in Barcelona, the soprano has a deep connection with Catalan vocal music, whose richness of which she gives a splendid overview, from traditional songs accompanied at the guitar by Renata Tarragó to modern cycles by Mompou, Toldrà and Rodrigo arranged and conducted by Antoni Ros-Marbà, a great figure of music in Catalonia.

Natalie Labourdette (soprano) and Victoria Guerrero (piano) make up an internationally award-winning art song duo that has released its debut CD on GENUIN. The tracklist includes 20th-century vocal music based around the experience of "la petite mort", as the French language refers to the climax of lovemaking. This is an existential experience, the desire to "linger", deep loneliness, and happy union! Alban Berg, Gabriel Faur, Samuel Barber, and other great composers of classical modernism created miniature masterpieces and the two young musicians dedicate themselves to this repertoire with a great sense of tonal color and interpretive clarity!