CD Review: ‘Folk Songs of the World’

SWR Music has issued a delightful CD of one-of-a-kind singer Cathy Berberian titled “Folk Songs of the World.”
CD Review: ‘Folk Songs of the World’
SWR Music
Barry Bassis
Updated:

American mezzo-soprano Cathy Berberian (1925–1983) was a one-of-a-kind singer. On one hand, she was associated with modern music and contemporary composers wrote works for her, including Luciano Berio (to whom she was married from 1950 to 1966), John Cage, Igor Stravinsky, Darius Milhaud, and William Walton. At the same time, she collaborated with Nikolaus Harnoncourt in his groundbreaking recordings of 17th century operas by Monteverdi.

Berberian’s interests were remarkably diverse. She went to New York University and Columbia University and studied dance, acting, diction, pantomime, opera, literature, and costume design. Based in Italy during most of her career, she, in addition to concertizing, worked with Umberto Eco in translating Jules Feiffer’s cartoons into Italian.

Cathy Berberian sings in 16 languages, and she adopts the style of each.
Barry Bassis
Barry Bassis
Author
Barry has been a music, theater, and travel writer for over a decade for various publications, including Epoch Times. He is a voting member of the Drama Desk and the Outer Critics Circle, two organizations of theater critics that give awards at the end of each season. He has also been a member of NATJA (North American Travel Journalists Association)
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