I love "Um Mitternacht", and the Ruckert-Lieder are another of the song
cycles on my "to do" list, after I get Berlioz's "Les Nuits d'Ete" under
my belt.
In the meantime, I had the Danish in the Grieg song coached last night,
and am going to let me voice teacher be the final arbiter of whether that
song will suit the requirements or not. If not, I'm actually leaning
towards something Spanish, only because there would be NO diction issues
at all - it's a language I'm quite fluent in, both as a speaker and a
singer. And I have always wanted to do de Falla's Siete Canciones.
Now I'm looking at another competition that requires three 20th century
art songs - so maybe the de Falla is the way to go, since I can use those
songs again for this competition too. For that one, the challenge is
finding - let alone learning - an appealing mezzo or alto aria composed
post 1958, and another composed post 1968. I'm leaning towards Marilyn
Klinghoffer for the latter (having discovered that the mezzo solos in
Menotti's GOYA are dreadful), but am having a hell of a time finding
something for the former. My tiny little mind just can't get itself around
the two Tippett arias I've been dabbling with, on and off, for the past
year - I don't know how anyone learns that kind of music!
Karen Mercedes
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html
***************************************
Verdi and Wagner delighted the crowds
With their highly original sound.
The pianos they played are still working,
But they're both six feet underground.
- Michael Palin
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