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Viardot: Melodies / Composer: Pauline Viardot / Performer: Elisa Triulzi, Marina Comparato / Number of Discs: 1 / Length: 1 Hours 19 Mins. Recorded: December 2012, Auditorium Matteo d'Acquasparta, Acquasparta, Terni, Italy. Pauline Viardot (1821-1910) was one of the most celebrated, cosmopolitan artists of the 19th century. Daughter of the famous tenor Garcia (favorite tenor of Rossini) and sister of Maria Malibran (the most famous soprano of her time) she travelled Europe as an opera singer, maintained a passionate relationship with the Russian writer Ivan Turgenyev, and held legendary "salons" in Paris, frequented by George Sand, de Musset, Rossini, Chopin, Berlioz and many others. As a composer she wrote a fine body of "lieder", several of which are based on Chopin's Mazurkas (which she performed with the composer at the piano). This CD presents a substantial selection of these delightful songs. Beautifully sung by mezzo-soprano Marina Comparato, who made her debut under Claudio Abbado, and has performed in the world's foremost opera houses.