Songs of Schubert, Brahms, Tosti and Britten

Renowned pianist and accompanist Graham Johnson is joined by baritone Armand Rabot in a diverse programme of song, spanning German Lieder, Italian art song, and English folk melodies.

Schubert's dramatic and mythological settings lead into Brahms' lyrical reflections, from Meerfahrt's rolling waves to Mondenschein's quiet glow. After the interval, Tosti's romantic melodies bring warmth and operatic drama, before Britten's folk arrangements, including The Last Rose of Summer and The Lincolnshire Poacher, conclude the evening.

Armand Rabot is a British-Sri Lankan Baritone from the Northwest of England studying with Ben Johnson. Armand recently won the prestigious Grange Festival Prize and the First Prize, Audience Prize and Language Prize at Hurn Court Opera Singer of the Year Competition. Armand's recent concert appearances include singing at Ann Murray's Lifetime achievement award concert at the National Concert Hall in Dublin. Last season Armand made his debut at the Salzburger Festspiele as a member of the YSP and also sang Der Direktor in Prokofiev's Der Spieler.   This season Armand will make his Festival d'Aix en Provence debut as a member of the Académie.

Graham Johnson studied at the Royal Academy of Music and with the late Geoffrey Parsons. He formed the Songmakers' Almanac in 1976. He has appeared throughout the world with Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Sir Thomas Allen, Victoria de Los Angeles, Ian Bostridge, Brigitte Fassbaender, Matthias Goerne, Thomas Hampson, Dame Felicity Lott, Peter Pears, Simon Keenlyside, Philip Langridge, Angelika Kirchschlager, Christopher Maltman, Dame Ann Murray, Lucia Popp, Edith Mathis, Thomas Quasthoff, Christoph Prégardien, Dame Margaret Price, Dorothea Röschmann, Kate Royal, Alice Coote, Christine Schäfer and Peter Schreier. His extensive discography includes the entire Schubert and Schumann Lieder for Hyperion.