PROGRAM

Firts Part

Joaquín Rodrigo, Madrigales amatorios:
I. ¿Con qué la lavaré?
II. Vos me matásteis
IV. De los álamos vengo, madre
 Joaquín Turina, Poema en forma de canciones:
III. Cantares
 Enrique Granados, Elegia eterna
 Xavier Montsalvatge, Canciones negras:
Canción de cuna
Canto negro
José Serrano, Qué te importa que no venga
(from the zarzuela “Los claveles”)
F. Asenjo Barbieri, Canción de la Paloma
(from the zarzuela “El Barberillo de Lavapiés”)
Gerónimo Giménez, Zapateado
(from the zarzuela “La tempranica”)

Second Part

Manuel de Falla, Canciones populares españolas:
I. El paño moruno
III. Asturiana
V. Nana
Frederic Mompou, Comptines 1, 2, 3
Enrique Granados, Tonadillas en estilo antiguo:
El mirar de la maja
La maja de Goya
La maja dolorosa 1, 2, 3
Federico Chueca & Joaquín Valverde, Tango de la Menegilda
(from the zarzuela “La Gran Vía”)
Ruperto Chapí, Carceleras
(from the zarzuela “Las hijas del Zebedeo”)

A bunch of traditional Spanish songs from the tormented Spanish twentieth century demand our attention once again through the voice of a young promising Hungarian opera singer. Heiter Melinda conquers the stage with a kind of timid coquetry and perfumes the space with her clean and powerful voice, bringing other times essences to us in Spanish and Catalan languages, with the loyal support of María Álvarez who follows her with efficiency on the piano. I look around and, "us" is an audience composed mainly by Hungarian people who have in their hands a translation from those songs. I feel a bit perplex thinking how would sound El Tango de la Menegilda in Hungarian. The sometimes anonymous and cryptic lyrics from those pieces which seem to say more than they promise, are well articulated by Melinda. And beyond other remarks, a nice time is guaranteed.

Now, they perform again in the Glass Hall of the Palace of Arts, here in Budapest, and I have the chance to have a brief chat with them.