<<< previous performance <<< >>> next performance >>>
Recital
Vienna, Konzerthaus (Mozartsaal), 6th June 1999
(SK's debut recital in Vienna)
.
Simon Keenlyside, baritone
Malcolm Martineau, piano
.
Robert Schumann:
Ballade des Harfners (Ballad of the harper)
Franz Schubert:
Der Wanderer, D 493 (The wanderer)
Der Wanderer an den Mond (The wanderer to the moon)
Im Walde, D 708 (In the woods)
Das Fischermädchen (The fishermaiden)
Hugo Wolf:
Auf einer Wanderung (On a walking-tour)
In der Frühe (Early in the morning)
(Der Feuerreiter – he left out this one as he was ill)
Auf eine Christblume II (To a hellebore II)
Lied vom Winde (Song of the wind)
.Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov:
Plenivshis' rozoj, solovej (Rose and Nightingale)
Sergei Rachmaninov:
Khristos voskres (Christ is risen)
Rechnaja lileja (The slender waterlily)
Son (Dream)
.
Richard Strauss:
Nichts (Nothing)
Das Rosenband (The band of roses)
Hochzeitlich Lied (Wedding song)
Heimliche Aufforderung (Secret invitation)
Befreit (Liberated)
Francis Poulenc:
Un poème (A poem)
Le disparu (The one who disappeared)
Claude Debussy:
Nuit d’étoiles (Starry night)
Gabriel Fauré:
Mandoline (Mandolin)
.
Francis Poulenc:
Avant le cinéma (Going to the cinema)
1904
.
Encores:
Francis Poulenc:
Hôtel
Franz Schubert:
An den Mond in einer Herbstnacht (To the moon in a night in autmn)
Gustav Mahler:
Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht (Who has conceived this ditty)
.
What the critics say
.
Sense of elegance
From Buehne 6/1999 (Peter Jarolin)
[Translated by Ursula Turecek]
.In the Konzerthaus in Vienna Simon Keenlyside makes his debut as Lieder singer.
.
He has performed at every important opera house in the world, worked with the greatest conductors, raised hymnical reviews and frenetic cheers; but he is considered still as an insider tip – in Vienna at least. On the 6th June, Simon Keenlyside will sing a recital the programme of which ranges from Schubert to Strauss.
“I adore Schubert’s lieder”, the baritone, a native of London who proves to be a profound connoisseur of the literary originals, admits. “Without knowledge of the poetry you can never do justice to the music, you can never understand the unity between word and sound”, Keenlyside is convinced. “That’s why I am so happy to sing Schubert, Schumann or Strauss in Vienna where the audience really understands the language of the composers, where even Hugo Wolf is no stranger. For Hugo Wolf took hold of me from childhood on and inspired the wish to sing in me.”
“Don’t do it”, his father said. But Simon Keenlyside remained obstinate, ignored the order which his father, a successful violinist, was not absolutely serious about. A vocal training with John Cameron at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester was the stepping stone for his rapid ascent: “I had a wonderful teacher who was nearly obsessed by his love for songs. For four years I’ve just lived with songs”, says Keenlyside looking back to his beginnings. Afterwards the aspiring bass-baritone hastened from competition to competition, won prize after prize and turned to opera too.
His operatic career began in Graz where Rolf Liebermann heard him and brought him to the Hamburg State Opera at once. “I love the theatre very much. On the operatic stage you can make people laugh, cry or dream. To be sincere and true – that’s the essential task of an artist.” His own credo coincides with the ideas of his models: in paying tribute to his idols he says “Singing should be as elegant, stylistically as faultless as it once was with Heinrich Schlusnus, Willy Domgraf-Fassbaender, Hermann Prey or Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau”. He aspires to these ideals, on the operatic stage as well as on the concert platform. “Actually I just want to do things that are elegant or at least delicate”, the artist who is also interested in painting explains. “Yes, painting and drawing tided me over many a disappointment already – and also my predilection for animals”, the singer confesses frankly. “I studied biology and zoology in Cambridge and go on watching the behaviour of animals very often even today. No matter if they are inside or outside of the water.”
Simon Keenlyside still has got many plans: Eugen Onegin appeals to him because of “the sublety”, Hamlet because of the “elegant instrumentation”. For the sensitive and introverted singer, Pelléas et Mélisande or Don Carlo are among the best works. “I don’t want to be pigeonholed”, he also manifests his interest in Wagner. “I want to sing Wagner, but not too often. I regard these roles for myself only as an experiment, because otherwise I would have to bid farewell to Schubert one day. And I would never forgive me for that.” In Vienna, together with his pianist and longtime friend Malcolm Martineau he also wants to “vocally give back to life the holy atmosphere that surrounds Schubert”. Very sensitive, delicate and in highest elegance.
.
Die Presse, 8th June 1999
[See below for English translation]
Halbe Kraft fürs volle Programm
.
Musikfest im Wiener Konzerthaus, Liederabend am Sonntag: Einmal mehr, wie schon vor kurzem beim dann prächtig singenden Thomas Quasthoff, mußte Konzerthaus-Chef Christian Lieben-Seutter einen Interpreten ansagen: "Herr Keenlyside fühlt sich besser, wenn ich Ihnen sage, daß er sich nicht gut fühlt", sprach er, das Publikum schmunzelte - und glaubte an die beruhigende Wirkung solcher Worte. Doch Simon Keenlyside hatte sich zu Recht für indisponiert erklären lassen und sang doch tapfer sein vielfältiges Programm. Nur Wolfs "Feuerreiter" ließ er aus. Die restlichen Lieder etwa von Schubert, Wolf, Rachmaninow, Strauss, Poulenc und Debussy machten große Lust auf den nächsten Auftritt des ausgezeichneten Baritons - hoffentlich in Höchstform.mus
..
Die Presse, 8th June 1999
[translated by Ursula Turecek]
Half energy for the full programmeMusikfest in Vienna’s Konzerthaus, recital on Sunday: Once more, as with Thomas Quasthoff who did sing gorgeously afterwards, the director of the Konzerthaus, Christian Lieben-Seutter, had to make an announcement: “Mr. Keenlyside will feel better if I tell you that he is not feeling well” he said, the audience smiled – and believed in the comforting effect of these words. But Simon Keenlyside had asked to be announced indisposed rightly and yet did sing his varied programme bravely. He left out only Wolf’s “Feuerreiter”. The remaining songs by Schubert, Wolf, Rachmaninov, Strauss, Poulenc and others gave a big taste for the next performance of the excellent baritone – hopefully in top form.
Wiener Zeitung, 8th June 1999 (Hildegard Siess)
[see below for English Traslation]
Grippevirus verhinderte Sternstunde eines Baritons
Der offensichtlich unter Erkältung leidende Bariton aus London kämpfte sich tapfer durch das faszinierende Programm und ließ dabei nur Hugo Wolfs "Feuerreiter" aus.
Mit romantischem Schwung eröffnete Kennlyside den Liederabend mit der Ballade des Harfners von Robert Schumann. Ein Schubert- und Hugo-Wolf-Block ließ musikalische Ausdruckstiefe, gepaart mit jugendlicher Unbekümmerheit, erahnen.
Mit Rimski-Korsakow- (Rose und Nachtigall) und Rachmaninow-Liedern, darunter auch der "Traum, op. 8/5", vermittelte Keenlyside lyrische Tiefe verbunden mit russischer Schwere.
Fünf Richard-Strauss-Lieder (u. a. "Heimliche Aufforderung", "Befreit") ließen die phänomenale Ausstrahlung des sympathischen Künstlers trotz gesundheitlicher Beeinträchtigung erkennen. Ohne Schonung der Stimme sang er sich jedenfalls in die Herzen der Zuhörer.
Den Abschluß bildete ein brillantes Feuerwerk französischer Liedkunst mit Liedern von Claude Debussy, Francis Poulenc und Gabriel Fauré.
Schmelzendes Timbre, akzentfreie Aussprache, ein strahlender, offen geführter Bariton verstärkten den Wunsch auf Wiederbegegnung. In jedem Fall darf man aber bereits jetzt auf das Debüt in der Staatsoper gespannt sein.
Verläßliche Unterstützung fand der Sänger bei seinem sensiblen Begleiter Malcolm Martineau.
Wiener Zeitung, 8th June 1999 (Hildegard Siess)
[Translated by Ursula Turecek]
Cold virus prevented magic moment of a baritone
The baritone from London, obviously suffering from a cold, struggled bravely through the fascinating programme, leaving out only Wolf’s “Feuerreiter”.
With romantic swing Keenlyside opened the evening with the Ballad of the Harper by Robert Schumann. Two respective blocks of songs by Schubert and Hugo Wolf gave an idea of depth of musical expression paired with youthful unconcern.
With songs by Rimsky-Korsakov (Rose and Nightingale) and Rachmaninov, among them “Dream, op. 8/5”, Keenlyside conveyed lyric depth combined with Russian gravity.
Five songs by Richard Strauss (among them “Heimliche Aufforderung”, “Befreit”) revealed the phenomenal charisma of this likeable artist despite his affected health. Without sparing his voice he reached by all means the hearts of the audience with his singing.
The conclusion was made with a brilliant firework of French art songs by Claude Debussy, Francis Poulenc and Gabriel Fauré. A melting timbre, a pronounciation without any accent and a radiant, open baritone voice intensified the desire for another encounter. In any case we may yet look forward to his debut at the State Opera.
The singer found reliable assistance in his sensitive accompanist Malcolm Martineau.