The album features new arrangements for harp and strings, specifically created for this recording by Wouter Lenaerts, the harpist's brother.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Puccini, one of the most important opera composers, was particularly skilled at using the harp and giving it a prominent role in his lyrical compositions.
Compositional Technique
It has become a tradition for influential harpists to create fantasies on famous symphonic or operatic themes to expand the harp repertoire and showcase the instrument's technical possibilities.
Performer Biography
Anneleen Lenaerts, the harpist on this album, is celebrating her tenth anniversary of living and working in Vienna, home to the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Philharmonic.
Performer Biography
Anneleen Lenaerts is a member of the Vienna Philharmonic, an orchestra that has worked closely with composers like Mahler, Brahms, Bruckner, and Richard Strauss.
Instruments
The double-action system for the harp, which allows for more chromatic and challenging pieces, was only invented at the beginning of the 19th century, making it a relatively young instrument in its modern form.
