The Wiener Singakademie, Vienna's first mixed choir, was founded in 1858 and has collaborated with notable composers and conductors including Johannes Brahms and Gustav Mahler.
Composer Biography
Hector Berlioz was infatuated with the Irish Shakespearean actress Harriet Smithson, and his unrequited love for her inspired the autobiographical elements in his works, including Lélio.
Composition History
Berlioz composed Lélio, or the Return to Life, as a continuation of his earlier work, Symphonie fantastique, making it the second part of 'Episode in the Life of an Artist'.
Critical Reception
Berlioz used the character Lélio to criticize François-Joseph Fétis, a renowned Parisian critic, by putting words in Lélio's mouth that condemned Fétis's alterations of Beethoven's symphonies.
Composition History
Lélio was premiered in December 1832 at the Conservatoire de Paris, where Harriet Smithson, the object of Berlioz's affection, was present and deeply moved by the performance.
Compositional Technique
Lélio is described as the 'strangest work Berlioz ever composed,' blending dramatic monologues with interspersed musical pieces to explore the artist's self-reflection.
Performer Biography
Herbert Lippert, the tenor on this recording, is a Grammy Award winner and former member of the Vienna Boys' Choir, known for his performances in Mozart's works.
