The Latvian capital Riga was named European Capital of Culture for 2014, but it gave birth to one of its greatest cultural exports in 1976. It was home to Elina Garanca, who was born into a musical family and entered the Latvian Academy of Music at the age of 20. She was soon on the way to becoming one of the world’s most outstanding mezzo sopranos.
Elina presents a beautiful selection of spiritual music dedicated to the eternal search and longing for inner peace. It’s perhaps one of her most personal albums ever which connects the listener with Elina’s Latvian roots
Elina’s parents were involved with choral music, she grew up listening to this music and sang herself in choirs as a young musician, so it is a very important album to her personally, celebrating the origins of her own singing career
The album includes a couple of real discoveries like Praulinš’ Dievaines, but also some hit repertoire like the Cantique de Noel d'Adam. This is probably her most commercial album to date, the careful selected variety of the repertoire will attract a lot of new fans
Latvian choirs are extremely famous worldwide, so it was natural for her to want a Latvian choir with her for this recording
Two Latvian composers have been involved in the music for this recording – Ugis Praulinš for his work Dievaines, and Eriks Esenvalds who has written an a cappella arrangement (Allegri Miserere) especially for this recording
Elina is joined on this recording by her husband, the well-known Gibraltan conductor Karel Mark Chichon OBE. This is their second collaboration on disc for DG following the success of Habanera
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01.
Messe solennelle en l'honneur de Sainte-Cécile: Sanctus - Gounod, Charles (1818 - 1893)
02.
Repentir "O Divine Redeemer" - Gounod, Charles (1818 - 1893)
03.
Dievaines - Praulins, Ugis (*1957)
04.
Cavalleria rusticana: Regina coeli laetare - Mascagni, Pietro (1863 - 1945)
05.
Cavalleria rusticana: Ave Maria - Mascagni, Pietro (1863 - 1945)
06.
Ave Maria - Gomez, William (1939 - 2000)
07.
Vesperae solemnes de confessore, K. 339: - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
08.
Agnus Dei - Bizet, Georges (1838 - 1875)
09.
Salve Regina - Puccini, Giacomo (1858 - 1924)
10.
Cantique de Noel (O Holy Night) - Adam, Adolphe (1803 - 1856)
11.
Silent Songs - Vasks, Peteris (*1946)
12.
No 4 Paldies tev vela saule - Vasks, Peteris (*1946)
13.
Miserere mei, Deus - Allegri, Gregorio (1582 - 1652)
14.
Ave Maria - Caccini, Giulio (attr.) 1545/51? - 1610/18?)/ Vavilov, Vladimir (1925 - 1973)
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