Between the world-shaking events of the early 20th century, two young French musicians and composers succeeded in rising to the highest spheres of the Parisian cultural and musical scene as pioneers. The elder, Nadia Boulanger, and her younger sister, Lili Boulanger, won the praise of the music world for their unmistakable talents. Some claimed that the older sister's compositional genius was surpassed or even overshadowed by that of the younger. But didn't Nadia herself keep this view alive after the early death of her younger sister Lili, whose talent she admired so much? In the 24 short years of her life, Lili pushed the boundaries of musical expression and left a deep impression on her peers. What role did Lili's tragic early death play in the strictly self-critical Nadia's decision to give up composing and devote herself to teaching? It was she who later trained many of the greatest musicians and composers of the second half of the 20th century. Did the strategist Nadia try to sacrifice herself to uphold the legend of "Lili Boulanger" in order to ultimately, perhaps unwittingly, become a legend herself?

The French-speaking Lebanese baritone Daniel F. Azar and the Austrian pianist Nina Violetta Aichner, who comes from a Hungarian family, offer a rare interpretation of Lili Boulanger's vocal masterpiece, the song cycle "Clairières dans le ciel"which has been adapted for baritone voice. The concert programme will be complemented by a selection of songs by Nadia Boulanger and pieces for piano solo by Lili Boulanger. The discussion concert will emphasise the literary value of this repertoire and overcome the language barrier by reciting selected verses and their German and English translations. Finally, a short lecture in three languages followed by a discussion will shed light on key aspects of the lives and cultural heritage of the two composers.

The event takes place in coordination with the Centre international Nadia et Lili Boulanger (CNLB) in Paris, of which Daniel F. Azar is a member, and with the personal advice of Dr Alexandra Laederich, General Delegate of the CNLB.

With the support of

Centre international Nadia et Lili Boulanger (CNLB)

https://cnlb.fr/