English tenor Ian Bostridge and Italian pianist Saskia Giorgini debut in Świdnica
Tenor Ian Bostridge and pianist Saskia Giorgini will make their debut at the Świdnica Church of Peace on July 27. The program of the recital combines the collection of Schubert’s last songs “Schwanengesang” (The Swan Song) and Beethoven’s “An die ferne Geliebte” (To the Distant Beloved), considered to be the first song cycle.
The artists have collaborated for many years. In 2020, they recorded “The Beautiful Miller”, Schubert’s first song cycle, and a year later – songs by Ottorino Respighi. The Polish audience had the opportunity to hear them in Kraków last year (they performed Schubert’s “Winter Journey”) and at NOSPR Katowice in 2018, when they gave a concert performance of works by Britten and Schumann.
Ian Bostridge, born in 1964, is considered one of the greatest contemporary interpreters of the German song repertoire. Interestingly, the artist, awarded a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, does not have a music degree. In 2023, he confessed on Polish Radio: This solution helped me. I was brought up in a competitive environmnet, I continued to be driven by the spirit of competition at university, I always wanted to be the best in the group. If I had attended a music school, I would have felt overwhelmed by the potential and talent of other students. I wouldn’t be able to stand such confrontation. I sang in the church choir, my voice still sounds good, and I learn something new about it all the time.
The concert is featured in the program of the 25th edition of the Bach Festival, held over 10 days from July 18 until July 28. The program is available here.