Songbird - Layla Claire; Marie-Eve Scarfone

Review

Canadian soprano Layla Claire`s impressive background includes concert performances with top international orchestras and roles in significant Handel and Mozart opera productions. She participated in the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, leading to return engagements. This disc demonstrates her recitalist side with 20 art songs in French, German and English. She has an attractive, agile voice with a light vibrato, sparkling top and rich middle-to-low register. Her choice of songs leans towards cheer, intimacy and (she writes) “music that I think is charming and cozy.” In impeccable collaboration with outstanding Quebec-based pianist Marie-Eve Scarfone, bright songs like the opening Viens! Les gazons sont verts! (Gounod), Chanson d’avril (Bizet) and Spring (Dominick Argento) communicate a definite sense of joy.

But there is more. In Gounod’s Sérénade, Claire’s vocal agility is remarkable. Her wide registral and dynamic range show in Richard Strauss’ Epheu, where after a dive of nearly two octaves she continues with perfect control. Warm low notes aptly colour the beginning of Brahms’ great Unbewegte laue Luft. Both artists lead me mesmerized into Chausson’s symbolist Dans la forêt du charme et de l’enchantement; Scarfone contributes subtle colouring and pacing. As for small quibbles, one vocal climax note is cut off unusually and a couple are slightly under pitch. Also the package lacks song translations. Not to worry; I recommend Songbird highly and look forward eagerly to more music from Claire and Scarfone.