LIED / ART SONG RECITALS
Current recitals with Catherine Swanson:
"Arpa gentil - Songs and Arias for Soprano and Harp"
Music of Rossini, Bellini, Mozart, Schubert, Fauré, R.Strauss etc.
"On Wings of Song - Popular Classical Melodies"
By Mendelssohn, Mozart, Schubert, Grieg, Tosti, Gounod, Puccini etc.
"An Evening Entertainment with Jane Austen"
Favoured Songs of her time with entertaining passages from the novels
Watch the Videos
"O Glad Time, O Blissful Dream! - Music for Christmas"
Containing works by Bach, Händel, Telemann, Cornelius, Reger, Adam etc.
"La chanson des oiseaux - Songs für Sopran, Flöte und Klavier"
With works by Händel, Caldara, Saint-Saens, Benedict, Delibes etc.
"The Shepherd on the Rock - Romantic Songs for Soprano, Clarinet and Piano"
Works by Schubert, Spohr, Kalliwoda, Lindpaintner, Meyerbeer etc.
"Ave Maria - Marian Songs for Soprano and Organ"
Settings by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Verdi, Schubert, Gounod, Puccini etc.
"Praise the Lord with Harps and Psalms - Sacred Works"
By Bach, Händel, Mendelssohn, Franck, Schubert, Liszt etc.
"In Fairyland - Irish and Englisch Music”"
Traditional Music by Dowland, Purcell, Moore, Balfe, Arne, Haydn etc.
"The Land Where the Lemon Trees Bloom - Songs and Arias from Italy"
By Puccini, Leoncavallo, Respighi, Schubert, Wolf, Tosti, Verdi etc.
"My Songs, They Say, Are Poisoned - Heinrich Heine in Word and Music"
Heine settings by Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, Liszt and Wolf
"Love Songs - The Most Beautiful Melodies"
By Schumann, Mahler, R.Strauss, Foster, Obradors, Grieg, Gounod u.a.
Recital Reviews:
"The voice of Catherine Swanson is well-placed, captivating with its wonderful delivery and perfect intonation. These virtues not only stood the test in Mendelssohn's simplicity, but also with the Romantic facets of the songs by Schumann and Brahms. Especially delightful was the last group of Chansons by Georges Bizet. Here the soprano could demonstrate that she's also at home in the world of Coloratura." (Ludwigsburger Tageblatt)
"The public was highly enthralled with the choice of programme and by the high standard of interpretation, showing their appreciation with prolonged applause, and was treated to two encore selections." (Ludwigsburger Tageblatt)
"...Her technique is brilliant, her intonation immaculate. Whether she interprets a forlorn Verdi aria, songs of Robert Schumann or the virtuoso songs of Richard Strauss, one always feels caught up in the maelstrom of her expressiveness..." (Südkurier)
"Catherine Swanson's soprano has a particular charm, being equipped with an individual colour and beautiful, natural timbre... a voice carried by much warmth and fullness, which has an extremely pleasant, gorgeously introverted tone." (Westfalen-Blatt)
"Meticulous, supple, and with great dynamic flexibility describes the performance of Catherine Swanson, whose clear, luminous soprano has become more voluminous and expressive. In the higher registers she fascinates with controlled dramatic augmentation... The large audience was delighted by Catherine Swanson’s magnificent coloratura in the final three compositions -- a perfect and heartily applauded musical lark." (Basler Zeitung)
"The abundant opera experience of the soprano Catherine Swanson was immediately visible and audible. Confident, witty and with her unique charm, she understood how to captivate the audience, making largely comprehensible the lightness and depth of this often inexplicable mixture in Mozart's music. In addition, she has "breathtaking" high tones at her disposal; her flexible voice seems to know no boundaries." (Südwest Courier)
"As clear as a bell and with precise intonation, Catherine Swanson sang compositions of the birthday-boy Mozart... a fabulous event which should definitely be repeated on Mr. Mozart’s 300th birthday!!" - (Basellandschaftliche Zeitung)
"You have understood, in the flood of Mozart festivities, how to create a wonderful moment of glory. This was so beautifully arranged: the song selection, the delivery, wonderful music performed with wonderful warmth, the texts well selected and read in a splendid fashion. All of that made for a truly inspiring evening. In short, you see a more than satisfied, fulfilled listener" - (Letter to the editor)
