BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, 11/06/2023 (1)

Song Prize - Recital 3

8) Siphokazi Molteno, mezzo-soprano (31, South Africa) - Llŷr Williams, piano

Mahler : Um Mitternacht

Mahler : Liebst du um Schönheit

Mahler : Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder!

Mahler : Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen

The brief is normally to show as much variety as possible, so to choose a programme not only of one composer, but from one song cycle by that one composer, is a very bold choice.  Molteno is clearly not afraid of bold choices, she strode on stage in a hot pink trouser suit with a black, lace-trimmed, camisole top.  It would have been nice if she could have met that promise.  The voice is fine, warm and nicely shaped, but all the competitors so far have been fine singers, this year looks like a particularly good crop.  "Um Mitternacht" failed to flow, there seemed to be no through-thought to the piece, just episodes.  "Liebst du um Schönheit" was nicely delivered, and "Blicke mir..." even better, but "Ich bin den Welt..." lacked that interiority, the profound self-reflection.  At least, it did in the voice - when Llŷr Williams took over in the long postlude to the song, then we heard the magic, and felt the transcendence of the poem.

9) Huhegala, baritone (31, China) - Simon Lepper, piano

Tchaikovsky : None but the lonely heart

Schubert : Der Lindenbaum

Sharav : Gavalmaa Busqui

Huhegala has strong cultural and familiar links with Mongolia, and from there to Russia is a short step, so the Russian style sat comfortably in his voice, and Tchaikovsky's impassioned idiom showed off a big, bronzed voice tending towards the bass-baritone.  He was able to rein it in quite successfully for a fresh-sounding "Der Lindenbaum", but his German was a little stilted.  He ended with a mournful, but interesting song by the Mongolian composer Byambasuren Sharav, late 20th Century composer (recently deceased) with a well-filled c.v. It's a verse-refrain song, lamenting the fickleness of the beloved, and wondering if the poet's affections aren't better bestowed elsewhere, to which, given the mood of the song, the answer should be a resounding 'yes', but Huhegala really sold it, along with Lepper sounding the repeated tolling bells of the piano part.

10) Juliet Lozano Rolong, soprano (31, Colombia) - Simon Lepper, piano

Henrique : Uirapuru

Guastavino : Milonga de dos hermanos

Lange-Muller : Sulamith sang i Dronninghaven

Debussy : C'est l'extase langoureuse

Schoenberg : Schenk mir deinen goldenen Kamm

Jaime León : Rima

Diego Medellin : Colibrí

Rolong is the first Colombian to appear in this competition, and she brought the most varied programme imaginable to her Song Prize recital, though rooting it firmly in Latin America.  She book-ended her recital with Latino material, Columbians to conclude, Brazil and Venezuela to begin with, colours and rhythms strong in all of them, and Rolong responding not just vocally but physically, a hair's-breadth away from dancing on the stage at times.  The Henrique was colourful and full of humour, the Guastavino just shy of outright sarcasm at the folly of men, and brothers in particular.  At the other end, León's "Rima" was a scented nocturnal idyll, while Medellin's "Hummingbird" was written expressly for Rolong, and for this occasion, which I think is a first in the competition.  Perhaps the most interesting of the set was the Danish song by Lange-Müller, sweetly sensual, but the Debussy was overheated, and the delicate atmosphere crushed by forced eroticism.  In the same emotional ball-park was the early Schoenberg song, but this was better handled.  

11) Beomijn Angelo Kim, tenor (32, South Korea) - Llŷr Williams, piano

Beethoven : Adelaïde

Tosti : Ideale

Hakjun Yoon : I'll come to you

Tosti : L'alba separa dalla luce l'ombra

I complained yesterday that Vasyl Solodkyy was the kind of tenor only presenting a Song recital programme because he felt it was the thing to do.  Kim's programme, and his delivery, showed what can be done when you believe in the medium, and are willing to commit to it.  He began with one of the greatest of German lieder, Beethoven's remarkable "Adelaïde" to which he responded with sensitivity and a fresh, vibrant timbre.  Being accompanied by one of the country's finest exponents of Beethoven's piano music didn't hurt either.  That said, it was clearly a carefully controlled performance, spontaneity was not the name of the game here.  That came with the Tosti songs, open and generous, the first dreamy and wistful, the second more sensual.  In between a Korean song, which I can't say made a strong impression on me as a song, but was well presented nevertheless.

[Next : 11th June]