Lenia Safiropoulou, the mezzo-soprano on this album, has been awarded scholarships by the Maria Callas and Alexandros Onassis Foundations.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Modest Mussorgsky's 'Sunless' cycle is described as 'visionary in his harmony' and 'daring in his nihilistic pessimism,' creating a 'completely sinister universe.'
Performer Biography
Lenia Safiropoulou, the mezzo-soprano, is also a poet and literary translator, having translated works by Goethe, Heine, and Shakespeare.
Album & Artwork
The album's title, 'Sunless Loves,' is derived from Modest Mussorgsky's song cycle 'Sunless,' which is featured on this recording.
Performer Biography
Andrej Hovrin, the pianist, has worked as a vocal coach in masterclasses at prestigious institutions like the Mozarteum Salzburg.
Compositional Technique
Johannes Brahms's 8 Lieder and Songs, Op. 57, include settings of translated verses by the 14th-century Persian poet Hafez and an unidentified Indian poet.
Interpretation
The performers, Lenia Safiropoulou and Andrej Hovrin, have been playing together since their student days and share a passion for German Lied and Russian Romance.
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