The eternal feminine follows the musical path

In my wanderings through song and poetry over the last ten years, I have come across stony paths, paths strewn with flowers, pathways across land and sea, and almost invisible trails, where it was very easy to lose my way ... Arianna Savall (daughter of Jordi) describes her own Overgrown Path in the liner notes for her first solo CD, Bella Terra. Now follow this link for an MP3 sample of some of really ravishing music, and if you think Arianna (above) has a beautiful voice remember that not only is she also playing the harp, but all the settings of the poems are composed by her as well.

Meanwhile another eternal femine follows an invisible trail at Covent Garden's Linbury Studio Theatre as the Independent describes: - Dominique Le Gendre grew up around music. "Our next-door neighbour and landlady was a woman called Olive Walke, who was the leader of a choir called La Petite Musicale in Trinidad. My sister and I used to go and sit under her piano at the rehearsals," she says. "There was always a sound of choirs singing Caribbean folk songs." The early exposure to music has served her well. Now 46, Le Gendre (right) is the first female composer to be commissioned by the Royal Opera. The work, Bird of Night, is a fantastical rite-of-passage tale set in 1950s Trinidad and based on the traditions and folklore of the island.

Bird of Night has opened to mixed reviews, but who hasn't? As Arianna Savall tells us it is the journey that is important, and it is great to see Dominique Le Gendre opening up a new Path at Covent Garden.

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If you enjoyed this post take An Overgrown Path to BBC Proms 2006 lacks the eternal feminine

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