maanantai 19. syyskuuta 2022

Helin laureates sing for Ukraine in the Helsinki Music Centre, the 4th of September, 2022

The Finnish Cultural Foundation arranged in the Helsinki Music Centre a concert “Helin laureates sing for Ukraine”, where two laureates from the 2014 Mirjam Helin Competition, Ukrainian soprano Kateryna Kasper and Croatian baritone Matija Meić performed.

The concert hall wasn’t even half full, but those who were there got really good value for their time and money: some of the songs were from internationally well-known composers like Felix Mendelssohn and his sister Fanny Hensel-Mendelssohn (Kaspars), Benjamin Britten and Franz Liszt (Meić), but there were also songs from some less known composers from e.g. Ukraine and Croatia. I liked that the programme consisted of different types of songs from several composers.  

Kasper’s performance was in a way a bit restrained, but her magnificent voice got enough room that way and especially the Ukrainian songs seemed to be near to her heart, which was, of course, understandable.

Meić was a bit more physical as a performer and the songs he had chosen were also strong and emotional. I liked best perhaps the ”Seven sonnets of Michelangelo” song cycle by Benjamin Britten. I have heard several of his operas, but although I have liked them, I think I actually liked these songs even more.  




Ei kommentteja:

Lähetä kommentti