Various Composers - Lumina (Samuel Marino)

Information

1. George Frideric Handel - Rinaldo, HWV 7: Lascia ch'io pianga
2. Franz Schubert - Ave Maria, D. 839 (arr. Chris Hazell)
3. Marguerite Angèle Monnot - Hymne à l'amour
4. Antonín Dvořák - Rusalka, Op. 114, B. 203, Act I: Song to the Moon
5. Franz Liszt - Oh! quand je dors, S. 282 (2nd Version)
6. Giulio Caccini - Amarilli, mia bella
7. Charles Gounod - Ave Maria, G 89a (after Bach's Prelude BWV 846) [arr. Chris Hazell]
8. Reynaldo Hahn - À Chloris
9. George Frideric Handel - Serse, HWV 40: Ombra mai fu "Largo"
10. Joseph Canteloube - Chants d'Auvergne, Vol. 1: Bäilèro
11. Richard Strauss - 4 Lieder, Op. 27: No. 4, Morgen!
12. Traditional - The Last Rose of Summer
13. Sergei Rachmaninov - 14 Romances, Op. 34: No. 14, Vocalise (arr. Daniel Braden)

Samuel Marino, male soprano

Covent Garden Sinfonia

Ben Palmer, conductor

Jonathan Ware, piano

Date: 2025

Label: Decca

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Lumina, released by Decca Classics on 25 July 2025, is the latest album from Venezuelan male soprano Samuel Mariño—one of the world’s few natural male sopranos. Known for his high voice and boundary-breaking performances, Mariño overcame bullying in his youth to build a global opera career. Lumina showcases his shift toward a more lyrical, ethereal sound and includes works by Handel, Caccini, Dvořák, Liszt, Strauss, Rachmaninov, and Piaf, alongside his own arrangements. Many pieces were originally written for female voices. Collaborating with conductor Ben Palmer, the Covent Garden Sinfonia, and pianist Jonathan Ware, the album blends orchestral and intimate piano textures.

Venezuelan male soprano Samuel Mariño, born in 1993, is celebrated for his unique, agile, and radiant voice, allowing him to master the most demanding classical vocal repertoire. Trained in voice, piano, and ballet in Caracas, his early passion for baroque music was sparked through performances with the Camerata Barroca under conductors like Gustavo Dudamel. He pursued further studies at the Conservatoire de Paris and is mentored by soprano Barbara Bonney. Noted for roles in baroque and bel canto operas, Mariño has appeared in works by Handel, Mozart, Rossini, and more. He is also the founder of Ensemble Teseo, promoting forgotten baroque music.

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