For many, Hugo Wolf reigns as the ultimate late 19th-century lieder composer, and the Italienisches Liederbuch is his magnum opus. Soprano Sophie Rennert, tenor Mauro Peter, and pianist Joseph Middelton are a fantastic trio that will perform this miniature opera in lieder form. This recital embodies everything the Great Singers series represents. 

Hugo Wolf turned forty-six poems from Paul Heyse’s Italienisches Liederbuch into musical pieces. He selected mainly short, vivid poems from these translations of Italian poetry, and arranged them to create a timeless story of the dynamics between men and women. He praises her beauty, and she answers with practicalities and complaints about his behaviour. The classic love divide between men and women, expressed in breathtaking songs.