Albeniz

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Anna Tonna, mezzo soprano

Francisco Roldan, guitar

Alexander Wu, piano

Guest Artists TBA

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Spanish composer Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909). Creator of the Iberia, twelve piano works inspired by Spanish folk music, they are universally recognized as seminal works of the piano repertoire. Albeniz was a colorful character who over flowed with melodic inspirations from a Spain of his imagination, for he spent most of his adult life in England and France; in his ceaseless striving for public acclaim, especially in his mischievous penchant for re-inventing his past, Albeniz revealed himself as a true romantic.

Mezzo soprano Anna Tonna is freshly arrived home as a Fulbright Scholar to Spain (2007-2008) where she is did an investigation of twentieth century Spanish song repertoire at La Fundación Juan March in Madrid.

Albéniz:
the ultimate Romantic

As a a celebrated musical figure in Europe, his life inspired two movies and numerous biographies. His life story is full of travel and adventures, resounding triumphs, bitter failures and associations with memorable figures both famous and obscure.

Composing in all genres for the Salon public, Albéniz: the ultimate Romantic presents an evening of piano compositions and guitar arrangements of his famous melodies by his friend, the great Spanish guitarist Francisco Tarrega. The songs for voice and piano, composed shortly before his death, are the fruit of the controversial “Faustian Pact” with his friend, meacenas and British financier, F.B. Money Coutts.