The programmers of the summer classical festivals did not think twice when designing their 2023 poster: Victoria de los Ángeles had to be honored on her centenary. The Foundation that bears the name of the mythical Barcelona soprano has not even had to call them to propose it. From Panticosa to Granada or Sant Fruitós de Bages they have dedicated a concert to her reconstructing her repertoire or approaching her vocality. And now they will, in this order, Peralada, Santander, Torroella and the Schubertíada de Vilabertran.
The first of these appointments is starring this Wednesday, the 2nd, in Peralada (8 pm), the purity and luminosity of the vocals of Núria Rial, the also Catalan soprano whose naturalness and emotion in singing and whose elegance in the phrasing are remarkably reminiscent of the legendary artist. The idea of proposing it to him arose from the pianist Rubén Fernández Aguirre, sensitive patron of the Victoria de los Ángeles Foundation, following a recording by Rial with songs by Enric Granados. Helena Mora, president of the Foundation and of Life Victoria, was reminded at times of Victoria's voice, her mother-in-law, each one of her in her own voice. And since Aguirre was looking for the opportunity to work with Rial, he came up with this tribute based on Victoria's favorite songs.
“I also really wanted to work with Rubén because he talks when he plays the piano, he takes you... he's not an accompanist, he's a flying carpet,” Rial says on the phone. But he made me a bit dizzy, really, because of the great respect I have for Victoria. I grew up listening to it. And when my son was a baby, she lived in Basel and when she cried she didn't know how to do it, but she put Victoria on her and she calmed down... This project responds to the desire to remember her with all humility and affection.
Rial and Aguirre have based themselves on the book by Manuel Capdevila i Font that collects all the concerts given by Victoria. The resulting mosaic ranges from baroque to romanticism and more: Campra, Scarlatti, Schubert, Fauré, Ravel, Granados, Montsalvatge, Toldrà and Mompou. That's how versatile he was.
“The program would have given for three concerts –both performers agree–. We went crazy with the repertoire”. Approaching her figure, Rial was surprised that the songs she sang the most were not the brightest, but those with the most intimate and spiritual vocality, like Mompou's Cantar del alma from the poem Cantar del alma (Although it is night ) of Saint John of the Cross. “It is an a cappella piece with a very austere piano dimension. But he made it much more than other brilliant ones from Toldrà ”, he indicates.
The project came to light at the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid and Panticosa, and they plan to do it in 7 and 8 seats. “We would love to put it on record, it is Victoria's most chamber music memory”, adds Aguirre. “It is a type of project that is a reward for so many hours dedicated to your career. We have to mature it. That our name is a little close to Victoria's is important to both of us. I, who studied in Austria and Germany, first met her through her relationship with Fischer-Dieskau and pianists from the world of lied, and I was scared: how could that woman come to such a closed world! She achieved it with that sincerity and humility that she leaves us as a school ”, she concludes.
