Francisca Rigaud sings: AVE MARIA, Pietro Mascagni - Conducted by Julian Smith скачать в хорошем качестве

Francisca Rigaud sings: AVE MARIA, Pietro Mascagni - Conducted by Julian Smith

In the beginning, this beautiful classical piece was an Instrumental Intermezzo, from the opera Cavalleria Rusticana, which was never meant to be sung! The Intermezzo, originally an orchestral interlude symbolizing peace and spiritual reflection, amidst the opera’s intense drama, became one of the most beloved melodies of the late Romantic era. In 1930, decades after the opera’s premiere, Mascagni himself adapted this instrumental piece into a vocal work, by setting it to the traditional Latin text of the Ave Maria, and I, for one, am very happy that he did it.... as I find it utterly beautiful! It is sometimes also sung in Italian, but I happen to prefer the Latin version. Whether heard in its operatic or sacred form, Mascagni’s Ave Maria remains a timeless testament to the power of melody to transcend boundaries between art, faith, and emotion. When I found this recording, conducted by my very dear departed friend, Julian Smith, recorded during a concert he gave in Jerusalem, in 2001 (which got him nominated for an Emmy Award), I knew that this was going to be my only opportunity to sing with him conducting an orchestra (I used to jokingly ask him to fire up his orchestra, only, by then, he had already retired, and anyway, he was far too famous to conduct a little singer like me!). But he was incredibly supportive of my singing, and once told me that I had one of the purest voices he had ever heard, which made me feel so humble.... He used to be the man behind Cardiff Singer of the World, and travelled the whole world auditioning singers for many years. I now do the recording, editing, filming, everything myself, therefore, maybe the quality is not amazing, but believe me, I work very hard to learn as much as I possibly can! And my friends Joey and Wynn, are always there for me, listening, and watching everything, before it is posted. The photos of me were taken a an airport, on my way to Portugal, last year, then you see the Chapel of the Queen's College in Oxford (not far from where I live), where I attended an amazing concert last year. After that you see a road in the mountains, a couple of times, which I filmed in Portugal, some years ago, and which I felt fully suited the sacred character of this prayer... You then see a round building, which is one of the most iconic buildings in Oxford, right in the centre of the town: The Radcliffe Camera (also filmed by me, like all the rest!). Then the words of the prayer, Ave Maria, but this time in my own language, Portuguese. The beautiful garden is the Meadow of the Christ Church College, also in the centre of town. The window with the Lavender and the Lavender coloured goblets, are here in the little studio where I live. The ball is a Friendship Ball. The angel wings and the beautiful view of Oxford, were filmed from the Varsity Roof Top Bar, a bar I very much love, but don't visit nearly enough! I hope you enjoy my video and performance, and I hope to see you again soon!