Plugged In:
‘Les Nuits D’Éte’ and ‘A Chloris and other mélodie’. French songs by Berlioz and Hahn exploring universal themes of love and loss. 'Les Nuits' performed by mezzo Jenny Bourke, 'A Chloris and other melodie' performed by soprano Anna Gregg with pianist Bryan Evans.
Les Nuits d’Été or Summer Nights is a song cycle in a staged performance by soprano Mary McCabe and pianist Bryan Evans with a performance of À Chloris and a selection of mélodie by Reynaldo Hahn.
‘À Chloris’ is a setting of a poem by the French poet Théophile de Viau (1590-1626). Hahn’s song was composed in 1916 and speaks of a shepherdess named Chloris, portraying her as the epitome of beauty and grace. Hahn’s compositional style is often associated with the French mélodie tradition, which emphasizes the fusion of poetry and music: a selection of mélodies will also be performed during this Salon Series event including ‘Si mes vers avaient des ailes‘, ‘L’heure exquise‘, ‘Le Rossignol des lilas‘, ‘L’énamourée‘ and ‘Mai‘. This will be performed by soprano Anna Gregg with pianist Bryan Evans.
Hector Berlioz originally wrote Les Nuits d’Été, based around Théophile Gautier’s poems, for a mezzo or tenor and piano, though it is more well known in its orchestral version. ‘Les Nuits d’Été’ is Berlioz’s only song cycle published as a set. The songs explore the universal themes of love and loss and will be performed in French by mezzo soprano Jenny Bourke with pianist Bryan Evans.
English translations will be available for the audience.
CATCH THE REST OF THE SERIES
Northern Ireland Opera in partnership with The Playhouse
Experience a set of six staged concerts in the round taking between October 2023 and May 2024. From short opera, song cycles, cabaret to musical theatre from the golden age, each event will take you into a world of beautiful music, drama and emotion in the special, intimate surroundings of The Playhouse.
All productions fully staged with singers in costume, accompanied by a pianist.
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