Bohemienne - Aurora Peña y Juan Songel

Info

Thursday, December 19, 2024, 7:30 PM.

The concert will last for one hour and will be followed by a reception.

THE CONCERT:

This concert program centers around José Melchor Gomis, who was described by Hector Berlioz as:

“A knowledgeable musician, a meticulous artist who detests routine. Consequently, what he produces is a work of art that deserves respect and consideration.”

The composers featured alongside him were part of the life of this Valencian musician, together reflecting the musical atmosphere of Paris in the first half of the 19th century.

PROGRAM

Arias for Berthe Viardot José Melchor Gomis (1791 - 1836)

• La partenza

Spanish Songs

• Si la mar fuera de tinta

• El aire dañino

• El corazón en venta

The Songs of the Dryads Santiago Masarnau (1805 - 1882)

• En el bosque de Saint-Cloud

Le Portefaix José Melchor Gomis (1791 - 1836)

• Bohemiènne

Le Comte Ory Gioacchino Rossini (1792 - 1868)

• En proie à la tristesse

----------------------------------

Musical Evenings Gioacchino Rossini (1792 - 1868)

• L’invito

• La pastorella delle Alpi

Songs and Lyrical Caprices Manuel García (1775 - 1832)

• Parad, avecillas

• Floris

Piano Serenade Pauline Viardot-García (1821 - 1910)

Cendrillon

• Je viens pour la dernière fois

CURRICULUM

Aurora Peña, soprano

Aurora Peña, born in Valencia, debuted at the Teatro Real with Dido and Aeneas alongside Forma Antiqva in 2015. Her burgeoning career combines the interpretation of operatic titles and historically informed works. She has starred in productions such as Händel's Alcina (Germany 2022 and 2024), Rigoletto (2020), L’elisir d’amore (2022), Don Pasquale (2021), La serva padrona (2020), Acis and Galatea and Händel's Orlando, and Vendado es amor by Nebra (2022). She has also performed Carmina Burana and Händel's Messiah among others.

In 2023, she received the prestigious Leonardo Grant. She won the International Competition of Les Corts 2021, the International Singing Competition of Balaguer in 2021, the Extraordinary Award at the Ferrer-Salat Contest at the Tenor Viñas Competition, the Young Talent Award CV, and Third Prize and the Audience Award at the Froville Baroque Chant Contest (France). She has sung in venues like Wiener Konzerthaus, Auditorio Nacional de Música de Madrid, Palau de la Música, Palau de les Arts, Teatro de la Zarzuela, Belém Auditorium in Lisbon, and the Auditorium of Tel Aviv.

Her discography includes Cantadas de José de Torres with Concerto 1700; L’Asunzione della Beata Virgine by Scarlatti with the Monaco Baroque Ensemble; and La Guerra de los Gigantes with the Granada Baroque Orchestra.

She trained at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Valencia, where she earned her Superior Degree in Singing, and continued her studies at ESMuC, where she obtained a master's degree in historical singing. She also holds a degree in English Philology from the University of Valencia.

Currently, Aurora is one of the leading sopranos in the baroque and classical music scene in Spain.

Juan Songel, piano

Juan Songel Sanchis is a Valencian pianist whose career has taken him to perform in countries such as Belgium, Russia, Greece, and Luxembourg, in venues including L’Auditori in Barcelona, Auditori Pau Casals del Vendrell, and Palau de les Arts, as well as in festivals that highlight the Festival Emergents, Piano Meeting in Ourense, Klarafestival, and Europalia Arts Festival among others.

He began his musical training with his grandfather and later at the Professional Conservatory of Music in Valencia, graduating with honors. He then entered the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMuC) under Rafael Salinas.

He continued to enhance his training with various masterclasses and perfection courses, receiving guidance from masters such as Claudio Martínez-Mehner, Maria João Pires, Tatiana Zeligman, Tamas Vasary, Josu de Solaun, and Imre Rohmann, among others.

He holds a Master of Arts (MA) in Music cum laude from the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel, where he studied under Professor Daniel Blumenthal, and also a Master's in Musical Interpretation and Research, specializing in research, from the International University of Valencia (VIU). Currently, he teaches Piano Repertoire for Instruments at the "Salvador Seguí" Conservatory of Music in Castellón.