Kaleidoscope - Fatma Said (2022)
Said has quickly made a name for herself in opera, but has now started recording albums as a solo artist with some great programming. She’s chosen a wide range of song, well beyond just opera, that shows off her amazingly clear and controlled voice.
European art music from the 19th and 20th century, Tango, American songbook standards, and an 80s pop hit puntuate a wild array of operatic selections.
I listened to this a lot once I heard it at the end of the year.
Tracks I Liked
Wiener Blut - A Johann Strauss walz song that is kind of a roof-raiser
La tarántula é un bicho mú malo - A fantastic Tarantella from a spanish comic opera
Youkali - Typically dramatic Kurt Weill piece from the 1930s French musical Marie Galante
I Wanna Dance With Somebody - a truly transformative take on a pop classic.
