Karl Jenkins: Adiemus Context Karl Jenkins composed his “new age” song Adiemus as part of the Adiemus project, which was officially released on Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary in 1995. Jenkins collaborated with vocalists Miriam Stockley and Mary Carewe for the original recording. The work also features a group of vocalists Read more…
Henry Purcell: O Solitude, My Sweetest Choice Context O Solitude, My Sweetest Choice is an English song composed by Henry Purcell around the year 1685. The work is set for either a soprano or countertenor voice, and by a bass ostinato and continuo. The text was taken from English poet Read more…
Libby Larsen: A Lover’s Journey Context Commissioned by The King’s Singers, Libby Larsen’s six-part male vocal suite A Lover’s Journey tells the story of love. A Lover’s Journey is set into four separate songs, with Larsen using text from William Shakespeare and James Joyce. The work was premiered on Valentine’s Read more…
Giacomo Puccini: Nessun Dorma Context Nessun Dorma is a tenor aria that features at the end of Giacomo’s Puccini’s 1926 opera Turandot. The aria is sung by the main male character, Calaf, who fall in love with Princess Turandot. Any man that wishes to marry the Princess must successfully answer Read more…
Henry Purcell: With that Sublime Celestial Lay Context As the seventh movement of thirteen in Henry Purcell’s Hail! Bright Cecilia (1692), With that Sublime Celestial Lay is a trio composed for alto, tenor and bass. The work is in honour of the feast day of Saint Cecilia – the Read more…
Carl Orff: In Trutina Context Composed between 1935-36, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana was described by the composer as a “scenic cantata.” Based on 24 poems from the medieval collection with the same name, Carmina Burana is a large-scale 25-movement work. Generally the cantata is considered to be heavily influenced by Read more…
Giuseppe Verdi: Libiamo ne’ lieti calici Context Composed between Il trovatore (1853) and Les vêpres siciliennes (1855), La Traviata was part of Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘middle period’ of composition. Previous to La Traviata came 16 other operas including the ever-popular Nabucodonosor (1842) and Rigoletto (1851). Based at the start of the Read more…
Gioachino Rossini: Duetto buffo di due gatti Context & Music Also famously known as the ‘Cat Duet’, Rossini’s Duetto buffo di due gatti (‘Humorous duet for cats’) is now a popular performance piece. Originally for two sopranos, this comical encore is a popular duet for any two voice types. Consisting Read more…
Giacomo Puccini: Un bel dì vedremo Context Giacomo Puccini composed music for the opera Madama Butterfly between 1903-04. The libretto was by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. The premiere was held on 17th February 1904 at La Scala in Milan. The opera is based on John Luther Long’s short story Read more…
Léo Delibes: Flower Duet Context Léo Delibes’ three act opera Lakmé is perhaps this French composer’s most well-known work. Composed between 1881-1882, Lakmé is based on Le Mariage de Loti by Pierre Loti, and Les babouches du Brahamane by Théodore Pavie. Flower Duet features in Act 1 of the opera, Read more…