Otar Taktakishvili, whose song 'Sun of Haying Month' is featured, was a prolific Georgian composer remembered for writing the old anthem of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.
Interpretation
The mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili, a natural linguist, performs songs in Russian, Georgian, Italian, French, and Spanish on this album.
Interpretation
Anita Rachvelishvili chose songs for this album that are rich in 'colours' and allow for expressing emotions with the voice, spanning several national schools.
Composer Biography
Henri Duparc, whose music is featured, wrote only 17 surviving songs, composed between the late 1860s and mid-1880s, which are noted for their intense musical atmosphere.
Interpretation
Anita Rachvelishvili finds similarities between Manuel de Falla's Spanish folk songs and Georgian folk music, particularly noting the flamenco in 'Nana' reminds her of music from Mingrelia, a region in Georgia.
Interpretation
Anita Rachvelishvili and pianist Vincenzo Scalera intentionally selected some songs typically sung by baritones to suit a low mezzo-soprano voice, making the recital unique.
Performer Biography
Anita Rachvelishvili, the mezzo-soprano on this album, is widely known as an operatic mezzo, with Riccardo Muti calling her 'without doubt the best Verdi mezzo-soprano today on the planet'.
