Michael Spyres, Les Talens Lyriques & Christophe Rousset - In the Shadows (2024) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

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.

Tracklist:
1. Méhul: Joseph: "Vainement Pharaon" - "Champs paternels" (Joseph) (5:36)
2. Beethoven: Fidelio, Op. 72: "Gott! Welch Dunkel hier!" - "In des Lebens" (Florestan) (9:34)
3. Rossini: Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra: "Della cieca fortuna… Sposa amata" - "Saziati, o sorte ingrata ?" (Leicester) (9:58)
4. Meyerbeer: Il crociato in Egitto: "Suona funerea" (Adriano, Cavalieri) (7:58)
5. Carl Maria von Weber: Der Freischütz, Op. 77, J. 277: "Nein, Länger Trag Ich Nicht" (Max) (6:36)
6. Auber: La muette de Portici: "Spectacle affreux" (Masaniello) (5:02)
7. Spontini: Agnes von Hohenstaufen: "Der Strom wälzt ruhig seine dunklen Wogen" (Heinrich) (5:12)
8. Bellini: Norma: "Meco all'altar di Venere" - "Me protegge, me difende" (Pollione, Flavio, Druidi) (6:45)
9. Marschner: Hans Heiling, Op. 80: "Gönne mir ein wort der Liebe" (Konrad) (5:35)
10. Wagner: Die Feen: "Wo find ich dich, wo wird mir Trost?" (Arindal) (5:34)
11. Wagner: Rienzi: "Allmächt’ger Vater, blick herab" (Rienzi) (11:12)
12. Wagner: Lohengrin: "Mein lieber Schwan" (Lohengrin) (5:50)


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