Maria Gulik has been the voice to many outstanding productions. From an award-winning performance of Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Royal Shakespeare Company, to ongoing work with the Baryshnikov Arts Centre, roles in pieces by Tchaikovsky, Verdi and Benjamin Britten.. You may also want to see her in Verdis Requiem later this spring. Both her own career and that of her pianist on our evening would require their own newsletter.
For us, she has prepared an evening
with some of her favourite pieces:
The Wesendonck Lieder by Wagner
(link to recording)
are the most commonly performed non-operatic works of his, five poems set to music while Wagner was working on Tristan und Isolde. As he himself said, they also are in part studies for the latter. The intensity and intimacy of this rendition is sometimes attributed to Frau Wesendonck being a little bit more than merely his hostess and muse.
Faschingsschwank aus Wien,
Opus 26 by Schumann(link to recording)
A highly original and reference-rich play on carnival as the German speaking countries know it. Schwank translated can be a humorous story, or burlesque, and also the motion of rocking. We can hear a melange of lively and rhythmically virtuosic movements, inspired among others by Beethovens opus of the same number.
Five Romances by Tchaikovsky
(link to recording)
Ночи безумные / Wild Nights (Op. 60 no. 6)
Part of a dedication to the Empress, at the request of a royal, and able pianist.
Забыть так скоро / To Forget So Soon
From an unpublished poem by Aleksey Apukhtin. “Forget love, forget dreams…”
Ночь / Night
is an adaptation of a Mozart piece, with words accredited to a mysterious N. N.
Песнь цыганки / Song of a Gypsy Girl
with lyrics from from The Summons by his long-time collaborator Polonsky.
Кабы знала я / If Only I Had Known
From an untitled poem by Tolstoy, dedicated to a good friend and songstress.