Artists

Dame Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano  
Joseph Middleton piano 

With winners of Northern Aldborough Festival’s New Voices Singing Competition 2025  

Rachel Munro soprano 
Jia Ning Ng piano  

To close the 2026 Festival, we welcome Leeds Song Patron and the UK’s foremost mezzo-soprano, Dame Sarah Connolly along with Festival Director Joseph Middleton to give a very special final recital, and one which is dedicated to Kathleen Evans BEM, current Chair and former Festival Administrator. Kathleen retires from her position as Chair this year, and in recognition of all the time, dedication and passion she has given to the organisation over many years, this programme is made up of her favourite songs and poems: music that celebrates, inspires, consoles and uplifts.

Tonight’s performance by the winners of the Northern Aldborough Festival’s New Voices Singing Competition 2025 is generously supported by the Yorkshire Music Future Fund.

Programme

Rachel Munro & Jia Ning Ng –

Britten 
Let the florid music praise (On This Island)  

Crumb 
3 Early Songs  

Ernesto Lecuona 
Maria La O (Romanza de María La O) 

Dame Sarah Connolly & Joseph Middleton –    

Mozart 
Abendempfindung  

Schubert 
An die Musik 
Ganymed 
Die junge Nonne  

Robert Schumann 
Widmung  

Clara Schumann 
Liebst du um Schönheit  

Brahms 
Von waldbekränzter Höhe 
Wie Melodien 
Unbewegte laue Luft 
Verzagen 
Von ewiger Liebe  

Interval 

Duparc 
Extase 
L’invitation au voyage 
Chanson triste  

Rebecca Clarke 
The lost nightingale  

John Ireland 
Earth’s Call  

Frank Bridge 
Come to me in my dreams  

Ernest John Moeran 
Twilight  

Ivor Gurney 
Thou didst delight my eyes 
Sleep  

Benjamin Britten 
Sephestia’s lullaby  

Mahler 
Urlicht 
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen