The programme puts into perspective the calls and echoes from one tradition and culture to another, through commonly shared languages such as French, German, English and Italian, as well as the repertoire of popular song texts that were the primary vehicle for the expansion of oral culture. Four texts are sung in the composer's native language: those chosen by Poulenc, Stephan and Gurney echo, through their words or the tragic fate of the person who set them to music, the wars and conflicts that bloodied Europe, but whose lesson generated the awareness of a necessary and structured peace between nations. The text set to music by Rangström is the same one chosen by Mahler for the last piece of his Song of the Earth, in Hans Bethge's translation from Chinese: it sings of a peaceful farewell to the torments of life, and the quest for peace and eternity.

Program:
Works from Germany, England, Austria, Belgium, Spain, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Czech Republic; as well as Ireland (texts by James Joyce at Szymanowski's).

Thaïs Raï-Westphal, soprano (T) Peng Tian, ténor (P) Lysandre Châlon, baryton-basse (Ly) Louise Ehkirch, piano (Lo) Anna Giorgi, piano (A) Fanyu Zeng, piano (F)

Franz Schubert (William Shakespeare), Ständchen (D889)
Thaïs Raï-Westphal, soprano Peng Tian, ténor Lysandre Châlon, baryton-basse Fanyu Zeng, piano

Benjamin Britten (anonyme), Le Roi s’en va-t-en chasse
Lysandre Châlon, baryton-basse Anna Giorgi, piano

Agathe Backer Grøndahl (anonyme), Bonnie Ladie, op. 51.8
Lysandre Châlon, baryton-basse Anna Giorgi, piano

Agathe Backer Grøndahl (anonyme), Ha, belle blonde, op. 51.3
Peng Tian, ténor Louise Ehkirch, piano

Charles Gounod (Giuseppe Zaffira), Jer, l’ho scontrata
Peng Tian, ténor Louise Ehkirch, piano

Federico Mompou, Musica callada 1
Louise Ehkirch, piano

Francis Poulenc (Guillaume Apollinaire), Bleuet
Peng Tian, ténor Louise Ehkirch, piano

Manuel de Falla (Théophile Gautier), Les Colombes
Thaïs Raï-Westphal, soprano Fanyu Zeng, piano

Willem Pijper (anonyme), La Maumariée
Thaïs Raï-Westphal, soprano Fanyu Zeng, piano

Franz Liszt (Ludwig Rellstab), Ihr Auge
Lysandre Châlon, baryton-basse Anna Giorgi, piano

Ferrucio Busoni (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe), Es war einmal ein König Lysandre Châlon, baryton-basse Anna Giorgi, piano

György Kurtág (Friedrich Hölderlin), An…
Lysandre Châlon, baryton-basse

Philippe Boesmans, Tunes (extraits)
Anna Giorgi, piano

Ivor Gurney (Edward Thomas), Bright clouds
Peng Tian, ténor Louise Ehkirch, piano

Rudi Stephan (Friedrich Hebbel), Memento vivere
Lysandre Châlon, baryton-basse Anna Giorgi, piano

Leos Janacek, Dans les Brouillards, 1e partie
Fanyu Zeng, piano

George Enescu (Jules Lemaître), Le Galop
Peng Tian, ténor Louise Ehkirch, piano

Pauline Viardot (anonyme du XVe siècle), Canción de la infanta
Thaïs Raï-Westphal, soprano Fanyu Zeng, piano

Karol Szymanowski (James Joyce), Strings in the earth, Winds of May, op. 54
Thaïs Raï-Westphal, soprano Fanyu Zeng, piano

Ture Rangström (poème chinois adapté en suédois), Afskedet
Peng Tian, ténor Louise Ehkirch, piano

Kajia Saariaho (Amin Maalouf), Parfum de l’instant
Thaïs Raï-Westphal, soprano Fanyu Zeng, piano