Pumeza Matshikiza – Voice of Hope (2014)
FLAC tracks 24bit/96kHz | Time 44:24 minutes | 873MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | e-onkyo | Digital Booklet | © Decca
Lyric soprano Pumeza Matshikiza is introduced in a unique album which tells her incredible and inspirational story in music: from her childhood in the townships of South Africa to the stage of Europe’s great opera houses with classic South African songs including Miriam Makeba’s greatest hits: Pata Pata and The Click Song, and arias by Puccini and Mozart.
Growing up amid the violence of apartheid in 1980s South Africa, Pumeza moved with her mother from one township to another around Cape Town looking for ever-safer places to live. She discovered opera by accident, channel-surfing the radio as a teenager. Overcoming extraordinary obstacles and prejudice she eventually enrolled at the South African College of Music in Mandela’s post-apartheid world.
South African composer Kevin Volans recognized the distinctive beauty of her voice and bought her a plane ticket to London where she auditioned for the Royal College of Music. She was immediately offered a full scholarship, and from there she went on to join the Young Artist Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Today she is a leading artist at Stuttgart Opera.
Tracklist:
Giacomo Puccini (1858 – 1924)
Gianni Schicchi
1. O mio babbino caro 2:23
Turandot, Act 1
2. Signore, ascolta! (Liù ) 2:50
Traditional
3. Thula Baba 3:11
William Fedhile
4. Malaika (My Angel) 2:47
Miriam Makeba (1932 – 2008), Jerry Ragovoy (1935 – )
5. Pata Pata 2:10
Norman Byfield Thomas
6. The Naughty Little Flea 3:08
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)
Don Giovanni, ossia Il dissoluto punito, K.527, Act 2
7. “Vedrai, carino” 3:28
Giacomo Puccini (1858 – 1924)
La Bohème, Act 3
8. “Donde lieta uscì” 3:08
Kevin Volans (1949 – )
9. Umzi Watsha (The House is Burning) 3:28
MacKay Davashe
10. Saduva (Hush I Hear You) 2:44
Alan Silinga
11. Holilili 3:13
Nathan Mdledle, Joseph Mogotsi, Rufus Khoza, Ronnie Sehume
12. The Click Song 2:27
Miriam Makeba (1932 – 2008)
13. Iya Gaduza 1:40
Mackay Davasche
14. Lakutshon Ilanga (When The Sun Sets) 3:29
Hamish Scott Henderson, John MacLennan
15. Freedom Come All Ye 4:19
Recorded: Studio No.2, Abbey Road, London, 26–29 August 2013 (3–6, 9–13); Probenzentrum der Staatstheater am Löwentor, Stuttgart, 12 & 13 September 2013 (1, 2, 7, 8); Liverpool Friary, Liverpool, 25 October 2013 (14); Angel Recording Studio 1, London, 16 May 2014 (3); Angel Recording Studio 1, London & Castlesound Studios, Pencaitland, Edinburgh, 7, 8 & 12 June 2014 (15)
Personnel:
Pumeza Matshikiza, Soprano
Aurora Orchestra conducted by Iain Farrington (3–6, 9–13)
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Iain Farrington (14)
Staatsorchester Stuttgart conducted by Simon Hewett (1, 2, 7, 8)
Grace Davidson, Emma Brain-Gabbott, Martha McLorinan (sopranos) & Sally Pryce (harp) (3)
Sura Susso (Kora); Mamadou Ndiaye Cissokho (percussion); Fiona Hamilton (fiddle) &
Phil Cunningham (whistles, accordion, cittern) (15)
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