Sounds of Brazil and Argentina

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Composer Information

Carlos Guastavino (1912 – 2000) born in Santa Fe, was one of the foremost Argentine creators of the 20th century. His production totals more than 200 works, most of it dedicated to the piano and to the voice. His style, always tonal and lusciously romantic, is fully based on Argentine folk music. He is considered one of the greatest Argentine vocal music composers of all times. His beautifully crafted songs cause a deep impression in audiences everywhere, and are quickly becoming staples of the Spanish-language vocal repertoire.

Alberto Ginastera (1916 – 1983) was born in Buenos Aires and is considered one of the most important Latin American composers. He began his music studies at a very early age and in 1934 he got his first award from “El Unisono” having many important awards followed throughout his life. His music covers all genres including three operas, five ballets, orchestra works, one harp concerto, two piano concertos, two cello concertos, one violin concerto, two choir works, cantatas, works for piano, voice, organ, flute, guitar, and chamber music. He also composed music for the theatre and for eleven movies.

Francisco Mignone (1897 – 1986) was born in São Paulo son of the Italian immigrant becoming one of the most important figures in Brazilian Classical Music and one of the most significant Brazilian composers after Heitor Villa-Lobos. In 1917 he graduated from São Paulo Conservatory and in 1920 he went to Europe to study at the Milan Conservatory. Mignone was a versatile composer, dividing his output nearly evenly between solo songs, piano pieces, chamber instrumental pieces, orchestral works, and choral works. In addition, he wrote five operas and eight ballets.

Camargo Guarnieri (1907 – 1993) was born in São Paulo, his father was an Italian immigrant and his mother came from a traditional local family. He composed two operas, six symphonies, six piano concerts and several other works. His work is characterized by a distinctive technical accuracy and a nationalist tone, using several typical Brazilian musical forms. In 1950 he published an Open Letter that became a cultural reference pointing a new stage of his career as a modernist and placing himself together with Francisco Mignone and Villa-Lobos.

João Guilhereme Ripper (1959) was born in Rio de Janeiro. He studied at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and got his Doctor Degree in Composition at The Catholic University of America, in Washington. In 1999, Ripper was appointed Dean of The School of Music of UFRJ for a four-year term. Since 2004, he has been serving as Director of Sala Cecília Meireles, a leading concert hall in Rio de Janeiro. Hi repertoire ranges from Medieval to Contemporary Music, including Brazilian classical music, jazz and bossa-nova. He is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Music.

Artist Information

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Luciano Botelho stands out with solid international career singing recently in many prestigious opera houses including the ROH Covent Garden, Glyndebourne Festival, English National Opera, Grand Théâtre du Genève, Théâtre du Châtelet, Köln Opera and Salzburg Festival. He  recorded live productions of Elvino/ La Sonnambula at Stuttgart Opera House and Giacomo/La donna del Lago at Theatre an der Wien as well as the Intendant/Linda di Chamounix for Opera Rara and the TV transmission of Rossinis’s Stabat Mater for RAI. He trained at the University of Rio de Janeiro before undertaking Postgraduate study at Guildhall School of Music and Drama and at the Cardiff International Academy of Voice. In Brazil he started singing Tamino/Die Zauberflöte in the Amazonas Opera Festival becoming frequent presence in the main Opera Theatres being acclaimed by Brazilian critics as “one of the best talents of this country” after his performance of Fadinard Il cappello di paglia di Firenze in São Paulo Opera Theatre.

Full details can be located at www.lucianobotelho.com

Elizabeth Marcus was born in Brighton and studied at Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she now works as a vocal coach, staff accompanist and professor of harpsichord. She has performed at the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Floral Hall at the ROH Covent Garden and St. John Smith Square and appeared in concert with Alastair Miles, Janice Watson, Sally Matthews, Robert Hayward and Claire Rutter. She has broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and 4, Classic FM, BBC 2 TV, Channel 4 and Radio France. Elizabeth has been official accompanist for the Peter Pears, the Richard Tauber and  the  Kathleen  Ferrier competitions and for masterclasses with Ileana Kotrubas, Guisseppe di Stefano and Sherrill Milnes. She is much in demand as a vocal coach and works regularly with singers such as Sally Matthews, Patricia Bardon and Sir Willard White. As a member of the Tzigane Piano Trio, she performs regularly in the UK and has released a disc of the complete music for Piano Trio by Cecile Chaminade.

Project Information

To get lovers of song recitals in tune with the recent Soccer World Cup in Brazil this summer, presented here is a collection of Brazilian and Argentine Classic Songs, performed by renowned tenor Luciano Botelho. Very few of these songs have been recorded previously