Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder

About

Áine Brolly, mezzo and sometime dramatic soprano, is to perform Wagner's Wesendonck-Lieder alongside the highly accomplished pianist, Mark McGrath, in the beautiful surroundings of St George's Church Belfast on the 20th April. 

This is Áine and Mark's first performance together and Áine's inaugural recital since she returned to the classical music scene a year ago.

Áine began her training with Judith Sheridan at the Ulster College of Music before studying under acclaimed soprano, Suzanne Murphy both at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and the Irish Academy of Music. Additionally, she studied under Kiri Te Kanawa at the Solti Academy in Italy. Áine has sung Dido, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana, Azucena in Il Trovatore, Charlotte in Werther and the Witch in Hansel & Gretel. Outside of opera, she has a deep love of lieder singing Brahms, Mahler, Schumann, Strauss, Schubert and Fauré. This is the first time she will perform Wagner.

Mark McGrath is a pianist, organist and accompanist of great repute, a teacher and coach, a repetiteur and he is currently the Musical Director of St. Georges.

"I have not written anything better than these songs.." Richard Wagner

Wagner's song collection 'Five poems for a female voice' (1857-58) – later known as Wesendonck-Lieder were set to five passionate poems written by Mathilde Wesendonck (Der Engel, Stehe Still, Im Treibhaus, Schmerzen and Träume) two of which, 'Träume' and 'Im Treibhaus', Wagner describes as studies for Tristan and Isolde, one of his most celebrated operas. These five lieder combine a use of chromaticism, expression and restless, wave-like phrases that have come to be associated with much of the composer's oeuvre and there is a considerable variety of musical styles within the five short yet challenging songs.

For more information, please contact ruairi@armchairandrocket.com