As An Unperfect Actor – Nine Shakespeare Sonnets Birgit Minichmayr & Quadro Nuevo & Bernd Lhotzky SKU: ACTLP9931-1 Barcode: 0614427993113 20.00 £20.00 Genre: Classical Label: ACT Released Date: 27th August 2021 Buying Format: 1LP Out of stock Back Order Add to your Wishlist Description Product Info Birgit Minichmayr captures the imagination and holds centre-stage on ‘As An Unperfect Actor: Nine Sonnets by William Shakespeare’. This won’t come as a surprise to people in the German-speaking world, where the Austrian actor is well-known from countless appearances on TV and a substantial filmography. Perhaps equally unsurprising is the deep experience she can bring to Shakespeare: as an ensemble member of the Burgtheater company in Vienna, she has repeatedly lived out the searingly dramatic lives of the Bard’s characters, notably the daemonic anger of Lady Macbeth, the sadness of Ophelia and even the uncomfortable truths of the Fool in King Lear. What might be more of a surprise, however, is the exhilarating musicality she shows on this, her first complete album as a vocalist. One could have predicted the crystal clarity, meaning and intent in her words – the desolation in her voice in “the very birds are mute… the leaves look pale” in Sonnet 97, for example. And yet there is more, much more, not least Minichmayr’s uncannily instinct to find artful and felicitous ways to shape musical phrases. Composer/ pianist Bernd Lhotzky has provided a wonderful array of musical contexts. As Minichmayr says: “He got so deep into the meaning of each sonnet, his music made it different every time. And we talked a lot about the colour, the meaning of each poem.” The opening track, ‘My Mistress’ Eyes (Sonnet 130)’ is a masterfully deft piece of gender-fluid irony. In the poem, a man is describing possibly the ugliest woman he has ever seen – while also declaring that she is the one he loves. Lhotzky gives us an acerbic version in that most male-led of dances, the tango, complete with bandoneon, in which the words are sung by… a woman. Minichmayr then gives a masterclass in how to end a song as she hits, holds and nails the words “false compare” with triumphant fearlessness. Throughout the course of the album, we are magically transported to new musical and emotional places. As Minichmayr says: “Through singing, through just doing it, I was able to find deep love, or deep sadness. I was really touched by it.” One of the secrets to this album’s success is Lhotzky’s wish to find melodies which have a certain ease and straightforwardness about them. He says that he approaches all music – whether he is listening to it or writing it – with one simple and direct question: “What story is this telling me?” Lhotzky is known for his work in the field of early jazz, but the range here is far broader, with allusions to such examples of fine songwriting as Brassens, Robert Plant and James Taylor. LP pressed on 140g black vinyl. Artist Birgit Minichmayr & Quadro Nuevo & Bernd Lhotzky Genre Classical Label ACT Buying Options 1LP Format 1LP Condition New Country UK Track Listings My Mistress’ Eyes (Sonnet No. 130) When In Disgrace (Sonnet No. 29) Tired With All These (Sonnet No. 66) When Most I Wink (Sonnet No. 43) Sin Of Self-Love (Sonnet No. 62) As An Unperfect Actor (Sonnet No. 23) Mine Eye Hath Played The Painter (Sonnet No. 24) Let Me Not To The Marriage Of True Minds (Sonnet No. 116) How Like A Winter (Sonnet No. 97) Share this On Facebook On Twitter Via Email More from Classical View Product Quick View Antonio Vivaldi/Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra/Ariadne Daskalakis Concerto for Two Violins, Concerto for Two Cellos Classical | Tacet | 180g, 1LP Released 28th May 2015 £24.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Antonio Vivaldi/Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra/Ariadne Daskalakis Concerto for Two Violins, Concerto for Two Cellos £24.00 Genre: Classical Label: Tacet SKU: TACETL205 Formats: 180g, 1LP Released Date: 28th May 2015 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Henrik Lindstrand Nattresan Classical | One Little Independent | 1LP Released 12th July 2019 £17.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Henrik Lindstrand Nattresan £17.00 Genre: Classical Label: One Little Independent SKU: TPLP1517 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 12th July 2019 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Mischa Maisky, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein ROBERT SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 3 Rhenish & Cello Concerto Classical | Deutsche Grammophon | 180g, 1LP, Includes Download Code Released 27th October 2017 £20.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Mischa Maisky, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein ROBERT SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 3 Rhenish & Cello Concerto £20.00 Genre: Classical Label: Deutsche Grammophon SKU: 4797439 Formats: 180g, 1LP, Includes Download Code Released Date: 27th October 2017 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Wiener Philharmoniker Giulini: Bruckner 7-9 Classical | Decca (UMO) / Classics / Deutsche Grammophon | 6LP Released 7th June 2024 £108.00 Pre Order View Pre/Back Orders Wiener Philharmoniker Giulini: Bruckner 7-9 £108.00 Genre: Classical Label: Decca (UMO) / Classics / Deutsche Grammophon SKU: 4865473 Formats: 6LP Released Date: 7th June 2024 Read More Pre Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Yehudi Menuhin/Christian Ferras/Robert Masters Bach Concertos (D Minor, A Minor, E Major) Classical | Hi Q | 180g, 1LP Released 8th July 2011 £20.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Yehudi Menuhin/Christian Ferras/Robert Masters Bach Concertos (D Minor, A Minor, E Major) £20.00 Genre: Classical Label: Hi Q SKU: HIQLP009 Formats: 180g, 1LP Released Date: 8th July 2011 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Rafael Kubelik Dvorak Symphony No.9 Classical | Deutsche Grammophon | 180g, 1LP Released 5th January 2015 £19.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Rafael Kubelik Dvorak Symphony No.9 £19.00 Genre: Classical Label: Deutsche Grammophon SKU: 4794383 Formats: 180g, 1LP Released Date: 5th January 2015 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Jonathan Antoine Believe Classical | Cavendish Records | 1LP Released 23rd June 2017 £15.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Jonathan Antoine Believe £15.00 Genre: Classical Label: Cavendish Records SKU: CAVLP1 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 23rd June 2017 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Brahms/Richter/Orchestre de Paris Piano Concerto No 2 Classical | Hi Q | 180g, 1LP Released 23rd July 2012 £20.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Brahms/Richter/Orchestre de Paris Piano Concerto No 2 £20.00 Genre: Classical Label: Hi Q SKU: HIQLP018 Formats: 180g, 1LP Released Date: 23rd July 2012 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View YIRUMA Non è la fine Classical | Decca (UMO) [GB] | Classics | Decca | 12", EP/Mini Album Released 3rd November 2023 £26.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders YIRUMA Non è la fine £26.00 Genre: Classical Label: Decca (UMO) [GB] | Classics | Decca SKU: 5570998 Formats: 12", EP/Mini Album Released Date: 3rd November 2023 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Fritz Reiner Richard Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra Classical | Analogue Productions | 180g, 1LP Released 29th April 2021 £45.00 Add to basket Reserve View Reservations Fritz Reiner Richard Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra £45.00 Genre: Classical Label: Analogue Productions SKU: AAPC1806 Formats: 180g, 1LP Released Date: 29th April 2021 Reserve View Reservations Read More Add to basket See more in Classical Start again
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