Recorded on October 31, 2021
Jennifer Gliere - soprano; Carami Hilaire - soprano; Paolo Buffagni - tenor; José Cuartas - baritone; Julian Villanueva Raheb - pianist; Richard Paratley - flutist; Mikhail Parkhomovsky - violinist; Martha Siegel - cellist; Dmitry Glivinskiy - pianist
Francine Garber-Cohen, Concert Producer
Chi il bel sogno - La rondine - Puccini
Jennifer Gliere - soprano
At a party, Magda sits at the piano and sings: “Who can guess Doretta’s lovely dream? How will its mystery be solved? Alas! One day a student kissed Doretta’s lips, and that kiss was a revelation: It was passion! Mad love! Mad intoxication! Who can recount the subtle caress of so ardent a kiss? Ah, my dream! Ah, my life! What do riches matter if at last happiness has bloomed again! Oh, golden dream, to be able to love like that!”
Vieni, t’affretta - Macbeth - Verdi
Carami Hilaire - soprano
Lady Macbeth has just read a letter from Macbeth saying that he has been appointed Thane of Cawdor and that, right before this, the witches had prophesied that he would be both Thane and King. Lady Macbeth is thrilled that her husband will soon be King. “Macbeth, you are ambitious and want to be great, but will you be wicked? The path to power is filled with misdeeds, and woe to him who takes a doubtful step upon it and recoils. Come, hurry! I will set alight your timid heart! I will give you the courage to carry out this bold enterprise! They promised you Scotland, they prophesied the throne... What are you waiting for? Accept the gift! Ascend it and reign!”
O Mimì, tu più non torni - La Bohème - Puccini
Paolo Buffagni - tenor, José Cuartas - baritone
Rodolfo and Marcello, trying to hide their feelings from one another, each pine for the lost joys with their respective former lovers, Mimì and Musetta.
Сладко пел душа соловушко (Sweetly Sang My Beloved
Nightingale) - Reinhold Gliere
Jennifer Gliere - soprano
Sweetly sang my beloved nightingale in my green garden;
many, many songs he knew, there was none sweeter. Ah! I treasured that song, my
heart would leap from my white breast; I wanted to listen to everything and
never part from him. But it stopped suddenly one midnight; the deep, silent snow
lay in my heart even as it had taken away my garden. From that eternity my green
garden has returned; there are many birds, many songs there, but I do not hear
the one I love.
(Translated from the Russian by Jennifer Gliere.)
En bateau - Debussy
Richard Paratley - flutist
O sole mio - DiCapua
Paolo Buffagni - tenor
What a wonderful thing is a sunny day, the serene air after a thunderstorm! In the fresh air, it feels like a celebration. But another sun, lovelier still – my own sun shines from your face! When night comes and the sun has set, I feel almost melancholy; I would stay beneath your window.
Silvio! A quest’ora - I Pagliacci - Leoncavallo
Carami Hilaire - soprano, José Cuartas - baritone
Nedda, the leading lady of a theatrical troupe run by her husband, Canio, has a secret lover, Silvio. Silvio suddenly appears. She is worried that Canio will catch them together, but Silvio assures her that he is safely ensconced in a tavern. Nedda warns him that Tonio, a member of the troupe, has just tried to force a kiss on her, but she fended him off with a whip. Nedda and Silvio reaffirm their love, and Silvio persuades her to run away with him that night.
Czardas - Vittorio Monti
Mikhail Parkhomovsky - violinist
Pleurez! Pleurez mes yeux! - Le Cid - Massenet
Carami Hilaire - soprano
Chimène, daughter of the Count de Gormas, is in love with Rodrigue. But Rodrigue has killed her father in a duel because her father had insulted Rodrigue’s father. Chimène weeps over the dilemma of wanting justice for her father but loving his murderer.
Era uguale la voce? - Gianni Schicchi - Puccini
José Cuartas - baritone
Wealthy Buoso Donati has died and left everything to the Church. His greedy family has asked Gianni Schicchi for help. First, he fools Buoso’s doctor by mimicking Buoso’s voice. Then he asks the family if his voice sounded like Buoso’s, but they don’t understand. Calling them blockheads, he explains: They must run to the notary and say that Buoso is dying and wants to make his will. The notary will arrive and, in the bed in the dark room, he’ll see what looks like Buoso — except that it will really be Schicchi, impersonating Buoso, who will dictate a new will favoring the family. He revels in the thought that his mad idea will defy Eternity.
Piano Sonata in E minor, Op. 7 - I. Allegro moderato - Grieg
Julian Villanueva Raheb - pianist
Entr’acte - Carmen - Bizet
Richard Paratley - flutist
Homage to J.S. Bach - Julian Villanueva Raheb
Serpents Gamble - Julian Villanueva Raheb
Mikhail Parkhomovsky - violinist; Martha Siegel - cellist; Dmitry Glivinskiy - pianist
Nessun dorma - Turandot - Puccini
Paolo Buffagni - tenor
Princess Turandot does not want to marry, but has promised her father that she will marry the suitor who can answer her three riddles. Unsuccessful suitors are beheaded. The Unknown Prince has managed to solve the riddles. Knowing that she is terrified of being taken by force, he has offered to let himself be executed if she can find out his name before dawn. Turandot has ordered that no one in the city may sleep that night until the Unknown Prince’s name is revealed, on pain of death. The Unknown Prince reflects that no one, not even Turandot in her cold room, is sleeping. He vows that she will learn his name only when he kisses her at daybreak, and he will be victorious.