Marlis Petersen - Braunfels: DIE VÖGEL, Nightingale's Prologue, Geneve 2004, High E-flat

Описание: THE SONGBIRD: German soprano Marlis Peterson was born in 1968. She initially studied piano and won several competitions before studying dance, flute, and voice in Stuttgart. Her operatic debut came as Ännchen in Nuremberg, which led to a contract with the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Berlin. She has sung in Dresden, Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, London, Paris, Geneva, and Monte Carlo. Her repertoire includes several contemporary works, among the most prolific being Berg's "Lulu" with at least ten productions to her credit around the world. Petersen made her debut at The Met in 2005 as Adele, but then in 2010 Petersen flew to New York from Vienna to step into the role of Ophelie on only four days notice, after Natalie Dessay suddenly bowed out when she hurt her back. Other Met roles were Lulu and Susanna.

THE MUSIC: Walter Braunfels (1882 - 1954) was a German composer, classical pianist, and well-regarded music educator. "Die Vögel" -- based on Aristophanes play "The Birds" from 414 BC -- was Braunfels's third opera, commissioned in 1913 and completed in 1919. Its premiere in 1920 in Munich was conducted by Bruno Walter and starred Maria Ivogun as die Nachtigall. The opera was a success with 50 performances in Munich, and other productions across Europe. Because Braunfels was half-Jewish, the Nazi regime forbid any further performances and it wasn't until 1971 that a revival in Karlsruhe reintroduced the work. The opera opens with a lovely orchestral prelude to which die Nachtigall enters and sings her song of wonderment.