Liam Bonthrone & Benjamin Mead - Soirée parisienne: Royal Academy of Music Bicentenary Series (2023)

The Royal Academy of Music Bicentenary Series sees tenor Liam Bonthrone make his recording debut. Soirée parisienne takes us on a journey into the fascinating world of Parisian salons, which were the epicentre of the cultural scene in nineteenth-century France. These social gatherings provided a platform for new and established composers to showcase their works to a discerning audience and introduce new musical styles and trends. Accompanied by pianist Benjamin Mead, Liam Bonthrone highlights the contributions of three of the most influential salonnières of their time: Pauline Viardot, Comtesse Élisabeth Greffulhe and Winnaretta Singer, Princesse de Polignac. Liam Bonthrone is one of the exceptional artists, including Xiaowen Shang (piano), Cassandra Wright (soprano) and Anna Im (violin), who are the recent recipients of the Academy’s Bicentenary Scholarships scheme.

Tracklist
01. Soirées musicales: No. 4, L’orgia "Amiamo, cantiamo"
02. Grands oiseaux blancs
03. Oh! quand je dors, S. 282 (Second Version)
04. Nine Songs, D. 8: No. 5, Lied. "Avec ces traits harmonieux, pareils"
05. Madrigal "Tes doux baisers sont des oiseaux"
06. Cinq mélodies, Op. 58: No. 5, C’est l’extase langoureuse
07. 2 Poems by Paul Verlaine, Op. 9, K011: No. 2, La lune blanche
08. Clairières dans le ciel: No. 1, Elle était descendue au bas de la prairie
09. O schwöre nicht und küsse nur
10. Was will die einsame Träne?
11. Ach, die Augen sind es wieder
12. La libellule
13. You Do Something to Me