The soprano Anna al-Khashem, accompanied on piano by Holger Groschopp. (Photo Musicales de Baabdat)
A grand recital of songs and lieder was held on Monday, Oct. 20, during the Musicales de Baabdat. Between Mozart, Rachmaninov and Rossini, the evening offered a moment out of time, carried by simplicity and elegance.
Soprano Anna al-Khashem, accompanied on piano by Holger Groschopp, presented a program of remarkable coherence and rare refinement. Her voice, exceptionally pure across its entire range, displayed exemplary musicality, along with irresistible charm and presence.
Among the highlights of this recital was the stunning aria of Susanna at the end of Act Four of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro as well as several lieder imbued with moving melancholy and romantic emotion.
The concert aria Un Moto di Gioia (A Spark of Joy), which Mozart originally wrote to replace Venite, Inginocchiatevi in Act II, was performed with ethereal grace.
The program also featured a world premiere: Hanine, for solo piano, by composer Houtaf Khoury, who was present in the audience. Pianist Holger Groschopp delivered an admirable technique and a tone of rare delicacy.
In Rachmaninov’s melodies, Anna al-Khashem affirmed her exceptional mastery of breath and phrasing, far removed from any affectation. For her, elegance is never an affectation: it unfolds naturally, marked by understated distinction. The connection between the singer, the pianist and the poetic text reached true harmony.
A standout moment of the recital was Liszt’s paraphrase on Bella Figlia Dell’amore (from Verdi’s Rigoletto), which allowed Groschopp to show off his virtuosity and theatrical flair. The program concluded with three songs from Rossini’s Péchés de ma Vieillesse, interpreted by the soprano with the style and lightness this music requires.
As an encore, Anna al-Khashem surprised the audience by sitting at the piano herself to deliver a deeply personal rendition of Li Beirut. It was an intensely moving moment: the hall, moved to tears, gave a standing ovation to the sincerity and grace of an artist who combines, with simplicity and elegance, heart and voice.
