Michael Spyres - In the Shadows

 
Michael Spyres - In the Shadows cover
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MEHUL / ROSSINI / BEETHOVEN / WEBER / MEYERBEER / WAGNER / etc
Michael Spyres - In the Shadows
Michael Spyres (tenor) / Les Talens Lyriques, Christophe Rousset

[ Warner / Erato / CD ]

Release Date: Friday 8 March 2024

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Michael Spyres is a singer who challenges and reshapes perceptions - as his albums BariTenor and Contra-Tenor have shown. Now, preparing for his debut at the Bayreuth Festival in Summer 2024, he searches In the Shadows to reveal more about Wagner and the origins of his music dramas. "Wagner evokes a varying spectrum of emotions - awe, ecstasy, even trepidation," explains Spyres. "This album endeavours to illuminate the composers who languish in the shadows, who formed the foundation of Wagner's compositions and sculpted the framework of vocal writing for the Wagnerian tenor."

In the Shadows culminates with three arias by Wagner - from Lohengrin and the lesser-known Die Feen and Rienzi. Preceding them are early-19th-century arias by composers of the French, German and Italian schools: Méhul, Beethoven, Rossini, Meyerbeer, Weber, Auber, Spontini, Bellini and Marschner. Spyres's distinguished companions in his exploration are the players of Les Talens Lyriques and their conductor Christophe Rousset.

"this is another fine, fascinating album from an unusually interesting and intelligent artist, handsomely recorded." Gramophone

"A fascinating study of works that influenced Wagner...The singing and playing are predictably superb." Sunday Times

"In the Shadows travels through Italian bel canto and French grand opera as well as German repertoire...all ideal for Spyres's gleaming, high-octane voice. His exciting singing, with punchy, crisp playing from Les Talens Lyriques, hits you between the ears." The Guardian

Tracks:

Méhul: Vainement Pharaon...Champs paternels (from Joseph)

Beethoven: Gott! Welch Dunkel hier! (from Fidelio)

Rossini: Della cieca fortuna (from Elisabetta Regina d'Inghilterra)

Meyerbeer: Suona funerea (from Il crociato in Egitto)

Weber: Nein, Länger Trag Ich Nicht (from Der Freischütz)

Auber: Spectacle affreux (from La muette de Portici)

Spontini: Der Strom wälzt ruhig seine dunklen Wogen (from Agnes von Hohenstaufen)

Bellini: Me protegge, me difende (from Norma)

Marschner, H A: Gonne mir ein wort der Liebe (from Hans Heiling)

Wagner: Wo find ich dich, wo wird mir Trost (from Die Feen)

Wagner: Allmächt'ger Vater, blick herab! (from Rienzi)

Wagner: Mein lieber Schwan (from Lohengrin)

Michael Spyres sings Rossini: Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra: "Della cieca fortuna..." (Leicester)