Product Details:

Product Description:

Arias from I Pagliacci, La Wally, Arabella, Adriana Lecouvreur, The Queen of Spades, Louise, The Violins of St Jacques, Mefistofele

Cheryl Barker (soprano), Gillian Keith (soprano), William Dazeley (baritone), London Philharmonic Orchestra, David Parry (conductor)

This is the much-anticipated first solo arias album to be recorded on Chandos by legendary Australian soprano Cheryl Barker.

This highly original program showcases thrilling moments of Cheryl Barker’s dramatic artistry in music both familiar and fresh, all performed in English. The track-list includes a scene from The End of the Affair (premiered by Cheryl with Teddy Tahu Rhodes in 2004), arias from Strauss’ Arabella (for which Cheryl won the 2008 Helpmann Award for Best Female Performer in an Opera), and an Australian work: The Violins of St Jacques by Malcolm Williamson.

Cheryl Barker says, “There were two arias that I was very keen to include. One was the scene from The End of the Affair by the brilliant American composer Jake Heggie. I premiered the role of Sarah in Houston and I think this scene is dramatic and fantastically composed. I am very proud to have recorded the aria ‘Each Afternoon’ from the Violins of St Jacques by Malcolm Williamson, a fellow Australian. It is very atmospheric with its simple vocal line. I have also included some popular arias and some repertoire performed by Dame Joan Hammond with whom I studied. As an English speaker, performing these arias in English means that I can relay the emotions in my native language and I think it is interesting to an English speaking audience to hear the arias in their native tongue.”

PRE-ORDER ONLY