Everybody knows William Shakespeare (1564–1616) the playwright, but how about Shakespeare the lyricist?
Actually, the Bard of Avon penned song lyrics for a number of his works, though the original music (which may have been supplied by the actors) has been lost. Nevertheless, many composers have set his words to music, either to be performed in the plays or in concert halls as stand-alone pieces. There are also musical settings of Shakespeare’s sonnets.
To commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, Grammy winners Ian Bostridge and Sir Antonio Pappano have collaborated on an exceptional new album, “Shakespeare Songs” (on Warner Classics).
Bostridge sounds as youthful as ever.
