A night of French romance at the 40th Shanghai Spring International Music Festival. Expect an evening of beautifully haunting melodies and poetic lyrics from composers like Debussy, Fauré, and Ravel. Performed by soprano Natalie Buickians and pianist Javier Arrebola, this concert is perfect for lovers of classical art songs and anyone who enjoys a bit of Parisian charm.

Program

1. In the Silent Forest – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
2. Night – Charles Gounod (1818-1893)
3. The Unknown Isle – Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)
4. Procession – César Franck (1822-1890)
5. Open Your Heart – Georges Bizet (1838-1875)
6. Après un rêve, Op. 7 No. 1 – Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)
   Notre amour, Op. 23 No. 2
7. Mélodies Tristes – Henri Duparc (1848-1933)
   Invitation au voyage

— Intermission —

8. The Hat – Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944)
9. The Duck Shepherd – Emmanuel Chabrier (1841-1894)
10. Starry Night – Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
    Illusions
11. The Golden Age – Reynaldo Hahn (1874-1947)
12. The Awakened Bride – Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
    At the Church
13. I Need You – Erik Satie (1866-1925)
    Imperial Diva
14. You Are Like This – Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
    Parisian Trip, Love’s Pathway

Program subject to change.
演出曲目及阵容以现场实际为准。

Javier Arrebola

Spanish pianist and scholar Javier Arrebola is a key figure in the world of art songs, known for his creativity, artistry, and contributions as both a performer and academic. He currently serves as the Associate Artistic Director of SongStudio at Carnegie Hall, Co-Artistic Director and Piano Program Director at SongFest, and faculty at Tanglewood Music Center. He has previously held positions at Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, Boston University, and Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.

Arrebola has also been invited to guest teach at institutions such as The Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, and the Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Beyond performance and academia, his work extends to video editing and illustration, notably contributing to Graham Johnson’s Wigmore Hall lecture series on Schubert and curating SongFest’s “Songs of Solidarity and Hope” online project.

He holds a Doctor of Music degree and a Master’s from the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, as well as degrees in piano performance and chamber music from the Royal Conservatory of Madrid. His doctoral research involved performing Schubert’s complete piano sonatas on both historical and modern instruments, alongside a thesis on Schubert’s unfinished works.

Natalie Buickians

Praised for her “bell-like clarity and warmth,” soprano Natalie Buickians is a rising star known for her vocal versatility and musicality. A winner of the 2020 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Los Angeles District), she has also participated in Carnegie Hall’s SongStudio under the direction of Renée Fleming. She was awarded the Jury Prize at the Aram Khachaturian International Competition.

In 2023, she debuted as Paula in Polymnia, a production funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation at UCLA. Her past opera roles include Suor Genovieffa in Suor Angelica, First Lady in The Magic Flute, Giulietta in The Tales of Hoffmann, Elle in La Voix Humaine, and Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro.

A passionate recitalist, Buickians has performed with the Eastman Bach Cantata Series, Voices Ensemble, and multiple symphony orchestras. Her solo repertoire includes Bach’s St. Matthew Passion and Mass in B Minor, Haydn’s The Creation, Handel’s Messiah, and Mozart’s Requiem.

She earned her Doctorate from the Eastman School of Music, studying under Kathryn Cowdrick, and completed her Master’s under Robert Swensen. She has participated in masterclasses with Graham Johnson, Mira Zakai, Dawn Upshaw, and other renowned musicians. Buickians is currently a voice professor at Pepperdine University and has previously taught at California State University, Los Angeles.

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