Description
Visions and Ecstasies: Classical and folk music of Ireland is an exploration of Irish music and poetry that marks the debut album of Irish-American soprano Francesca Federico OMurchu, hailed by Opera News as having a voice of "such strong presence and beauty of tone that she left one longing for more." Visions and Ecstasies highlights Irish music-making from its roots as an aurally-transmitted art form, honouring the melodic and linguistic complexities that illustrate both the beauty and the brutality of the country's collective experience through centuries. The album combines art songs by Joan Trimble, Roger Quilter, Peter Warlock, Rebecca Clarke and Andrew Synott, alongside Irish folk songs sung in their original language. The album aims to articulate the linguistic and cultural links between these two seemingly disparate genres, and provide a snapshot of Ireland's incredibly rich cultural heritage. Francesca's study of this repertoire began when she was selected as a Fulbright scholar to Ireland, and completed an arts residency at the Irish World Academy in Limerick under the mentorship of Irish folk legend Iarla O Lionaird, who first suggested she record an album of this unique music. She is joined by violinists Laura Lutzke and Ben Russell, cellist Clarice Jensen and pianist Dan Franklin Smith.
