Sundays at 4 in Hoylandswaine

Divas and Dances: A look at how dance influences music and the singers who sing them

From sarabande to salsa, dance has formed the bedrock of music since music first began. And dance is found in the most surprising places, as can be heard in the excerpt from Bach’s St Matthew Passion.

In contrast, meet the maidens of Cadiz in a bolero, courtesy of Delibes, and Rosalinde’s czardas as performed at the ball in Strauss’s Die Fledermaus. The word ‘diva’ means goddess, as in Casta Diva from Bellini’s Norma and has been assigned to female singers as diverse as Madonna and Maria Callas, whose iconic roles include Tosca.

Performers

Elizabeth Charlesworth (soprano) and Hugh Finnigan (piano)

Programme

• Handel: Lascia ch’io pianga
• Bach: Jesus Saviour (St Matthew)
• Puccini: Casta Diva (Norma)
• Quando m'en vo (La Boheme)
• Vissi d'arte (Tosca)
• Delibes: The Maids of Cadiz
• Strauss: Czardas (Die Fledermaus)
• Lehar: On Myt Lips every Kiss is like Wine (Giuditta)
• Gavotte