Paris Chapters, Clara Barbier Serrano, Robert Finegan, Tianqi Ling, Bloomsbury Festival review: Beguiling journey around Irishmen abroad
French soprano and inaugural Andrea Bocelli Foundation-Community Jameel Scholarship recipient Clara Barbier Serrano performed at the Bloomsbury Festival in a concert titled 'Paris chapters' that was described in a review by The Arts Desk as a "beguiling journey around Irishmen abroad."
"Young French soprano Clara Barbier Serrano has everything it takes to shine in an overcrowded singers’ world, including vivacious communicative skills—I witnessed those for the first time last Tuesday, when she performed at the Oxford International Song Festival without the score in front of her—attention to detail and a knack of forging unusual programmes beyond the usual song-recital round, commissions included," writes The Art Desk.
The performance at the City Literary Institute in London revolved around the theme of Irish writers in Paris and incorporated four new compositions set to lyrics from the writing of Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde and James Joyce's 'Ulysses' alongside arrangements of renowned classical pieces.
Young French soprano Clara Barbier Serrano has everything it takes to shine in an overcrowded singers’ world, including vivacious communicative skills—I witnessed those for the first time last Tuesday, when she performed at the Oxford International Song Festival without the score in front of her—attention to detail and a knack of forging unusual programmes beyond the usual song-recital round, commissions included.
This often mesmerising event in the City Literary Institute’s recital room towards the end of the Bloomsbury Festival harnessed the talents of a fellow former student at the Royal College of Music, brilliant Irish saxophonist Robert Finegan, with pianist Tianqi Ling in support, and took as its theme Irish writers in Paris.
Given the performers’ charm in presentation, the selection, which they launched at the Institut Français, could be expanded to a full two-parter, with even more text and possibly more commissions. The Wigmore Hall would be the perfect place for it. And by coincidence I saw that same evening that Chelsea Opera Group, performing Un ballo in maschera at the Cadogan Hall, have scheduled Delibes’ gorgeous Lakmé for next February. They don’t have a soprano yet. Barbier Serrano would be the perfect choice…