SCHUBERT DIE WINTERREISE WITH FRANCISCO ARAIZA

Francisco Araiza, one of the world’s top lyric tenors, is noted for his lieder performances, particularly of the works of Schubert. In this recording, made under studio conditions at the Alte Pfarr, a Romanesque chapel at Wolfegg near Ravensburg which is over one thousand years old, he sings Schubert’s great song-cycle Die Winterreise (Winter Journey) accompanied at the piano by Jean Lemaire.

This famous cycle sets to music verses by Wilhelm Müller, a poet with a vivid imagination for nature and the rustic scene, which the Romantic composer was so fond of. As a tunesmith, Schubert has few rivals in the history of song and Die Winterreise is among his finest achievements. The Alte Pfarr provides a unique setting for this performance and adds an atmospheric visual dimension to this programme.

Francisco Araiza (born October 4, 1950 in Mexico City), is a Mexican operatic tenor. As one of the leading tenors of his generation he was named Kammersänger of the Staatsoper Wien in 1988 and has been a permanent member of the Opernhaus Zürich since 1977. He made an international operatic career starting with the great Mozart and Rossini tenor roles. Already known as one the best interpreters in the lyric repertory he developed later on into the heavier lirico spinto, the french and heavier German repertory with roles like Edgardo, Alfredo, Duke of Mantua, Riccardo III., Don Alvaro, Don Carlo, Cavaradossi, Pinkerton, Rodolfo, Kalaf, Andrea Chenier, Des Grieux, Faust, Hoffmann, Werther, Romeo, Don Jose, Lenski and the young wagnerian heroes Lohengrin, Stolzing, Loge, Parsifal and Siegmund.

Born and educated in Mexico City Francisco Araiza studied voice with Irma Gonzalez in the Conservatorio Nacional de Musica and German repertory with Erika Kubacsek. At the same time he made his degree in Business Administration at the University of Mexico City UNAM. In 1970 he made his professional debut in Mexico City as Jaquino in Beethoven's Fidelio. In 1974 he went to Europe and took masterclasses with Richard Holm and Erik Werba at the Munich Hochschule für Musik after having won in the Bavarian Broadcasting Voice Competition. After three years at the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe from 1974 to 1977 he became a permanent member of the Zurich Opera House. Herbert von Karajan chose him for his recording of Die Zauberflöte (the first digital opera recording) and invited him to the Salzburg Festival to sing the Mozart Requiem in 1980 enhancing the international career of the upcoming star.

Source: Wikipedia