Various Composers - Sparks from Ashes (Nicky Spence; Dylan Perez)

Information

• Vítězslava Kaprálová - Sbohem a šáteček, Op. 14
• Antonín Dvořák - Cypresses, B. 11
• Béla Bartók - Village Scenes, Sz. 78, BB 87a
• Vítězslava Kaprálová - Jiskry z popele, Op. 5
• Jaroslav Křička - 3 Bajky, Op. 21

Nicky Spence, tenor

Dylan Perez, piano

Date: 2025

Label: BIS

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Nicky Spence, praised by The Daily Telegraph as “a voice of real distinction,” is renowned for his artistry, acting skills, and acclaimed interpretations of Janáček’s operas worldwide. Performing with pianist Dylan Perez, he presents a Czech and Slovak art song programme. Highlights include Bartók’s Village Scenes, inspired by Slovak folk songs; Jaroslav Křička’s Three Fables, based on traditional fairy tales; and works by Vítezslava Kaprálová, a gifted composer who died young, including her love-themed cycle Sparks from Ashes and the poignant Waving Farewell. The recital also features Dvořák’s Cypresses, exploring love in its many stages.

Scottish tenor Nicky Spence (b. 1983) trained at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, the National Opera Studio, and English National Opera’s Harewood Artists programme. Known for his operatic versatility, recent roles include Laca (Jenůfa) at the Royal Opera House, Siegmund (Die Walküre) at ENO, Albert Gregor (The Makropulos Affair) in Berlin, Tichon (Káťa Kabanová) at Glyndebourne, and Erik (The Flying Dutchman) at Grange Park Opera, with upcoming performances as Loge (Das Rheingold) in Brussels. His concert credits span major orchestras, and he is an acclaimed recording artist, winning the 2020 BBC Music Magazine Vocal Award and Gramophone’s Solo Vocal Award. In 2023, he was appointed OBE.

American pianist Dylan Perez (b. 1990) is a sought-after recitalist, chamber musician, and vocal coach. A University of Michigan graduate, he earned his master’s with Distinction from London’s Guildhall School of Music & Drama in 2018, later serving as Lord and Lady Lurgan Collaborative Piano Fellow at the Royal College of Music. He has performed at Wigmore Hall, Milton Court, Cadogan Hall, La Monnaie, and the Copenhagen Opera Festival, collaborating with leading singers including Mary Bevan, Ema Nikolovska, and his husband, tenor Nicky Spence. Founder of the re-sung recital series and curator for Opera Holland Park’s Opera in Song, Perez has won multiple accompaniment prizes and is an alumnus of major international young artist programs.

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