Album guide
Beautiful Jazzy Opera
- Released
- 2023
- Label
- Soliton
- Forces
- Piano, Vocal, Trio, Orchestra
- Personnel
- Leszek Kułakowski piano, Anna Fabrello soprano, Łukasz Załęski tenor, Adam Żuchowski contrabass, Tomasz Sowiński percussion, Orkiestra Polskiej Filharmonii Sinfonia Baltica orchestra, Tadeusz Wicherek conductor
Kułakowski described the project as a hybrid, placing opera singers Anna Fabrello and Łukasz Załęski between a jazz trio and the full Sinfonia Baltica orchestra.
Each arrangement begins by establishing the vocal melody, then hands it to Kułakowski and the rhythm section, allowing a familiar aria to slide into improvisation before returning to the operatic voices.
Hear both
The classical side contains only the source pieces used on the album, in album order. The jazz side presents the complete album whenever a dependable copy can be embedded.
The listening queues above follow the same order. The classical player omits tracks that are not based on a classical original.
Spotify’s player is here for convenience; the full track listing below remains available to everyone.
Source works
The album’s complete track listing, with each classical source identified and original compositions marked plainly.
- PrząsniczkaMoniuszko: ‘Prząśniczka’ (‘The Spinner’)
- Aria SkołubyMoniuszko: Skołuba’s aria ‘Ten zegar stary’, from The Haunted Manor (Straszny dwór)
- Vissi a’arte, vissi d’amorePuccini: Tosca, Act II: ‘Vissi d’arte’
- Nessun dormaPuccini: Turandot, Act III: ‘Nessun dorma’
- TiritombaNon-classical source
- O mio babbino caroPuccini: Gianni Schicchi: ‘O mio babbino caro’
- Funiculi, funiculaDenza: ‘Funiculì, funiculà’
- E lucevan le stellePuccini: Tosca, Act III: ‘E lucevan le stelle’
- HabaneraBizet: Carmen, Act I: ‘L’amour est un oiseau rebelle’ (Habanera)
- Recitativo i pieśń StefanaMoniuszko: Stefan’s recitative and song ‘Cisza dokoła’, from The Haunted Manor (Straszny dwór)