SHEHERAZADE
"Ensemble K, conducted by Simone Menezes with passion and fluidity, delivered an outstanding performance. The concert, held in a fully packed Pierre Boulez Hall, was met with warm acclaim!" - Berliner Morgenpost
"The sonic journey offered by this debut album is remarkably fresh. Its poetic breath draws from the shimmering and flickering of the timbres, particularly those of the woodwinds and accordion – beautifully captured by the airy recording. Innocence and candor blend here [in Copland’s Appalachian Spring] with a sense of form, a sharpness of contrasts (tempo, attack, mood) that is highly appealing. A brilliant entry into the recording world." – Diapason
Scheherazade, a tale revisits the story of Scheherazade with a more enlightened perspective, restoring the original archetype of this heroine—a brilliant woman who voluntarily risked her life to save the women of her people. The project is crafted as an orchestration of Rimsky-Korsakov 's music for 14 musicians feature under the auspices of Vincent Paulet. Additionally, a text was created for two female characters (Scheherazade and Dinazarde), and a double CD was recorded under the Alpha label, offering versions with and without narration. The project was later filmed in partnership with Mezzo and Medici TV and premiered in September 2024 at the Boulez Saal in Berlin, receiving excellent reviews. Scheherazade, a Tale goes beyond showcasing the beauty of Rimsky-Korsakov's music; it also pays tribute to the Middle Eastern musical tradition that influenced European music, while opening a dialogue on the themes represented by the figure of Scheherazade. In its initial version, the project featured Golshifteh Farahani as Scheherazade and Kristin Winters as Dinazarde. The concert can be performed with or without the text, as presented on the double CD.
Repertoire for 14 musicians : Korsakov - Scheherazade, orchestration for 14 musiciens under auspices of Vincent Paulet