CONCERT PROGRAMMEHugo Wolf (1860-1903): Das Italienisches LiederbuchThough settled in Vienna Bo Skovhus delights opera lovers all over the world with his scenic appearances. Several of his triumphs are available on DVD: Danilelo in Lehar’s The Merry Widow (the San Francisco Opera), the Count in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (Salzburger Festspiele) or Kurwenal in Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde (Glyndebourne Festival), just to mention a few. Also as an interpreter of lieder Bo Skovhus has made a distinguished contribution. On this occasion it will be in the company of another two world-class lieder artists. Soile Isokoski made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, as the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro in 2002, and has been touring extensively ind the States, Europe, Russia and Japan with her lieder programmes.With Bo Skovhus’ second concert as artist in residence at the Mogens Dahl Concert Hall, we move on from the spring’s exclusive Schumann programme to Hugo Wolf’s amazing opus, Das Italienisches Liederbuch.The lyrics are Italian poems of anonymous origin, translated into German by Paul Heyse. On the whole the texts are romantic and with a few exceptions revolve around love.Wolf was heavily influenced by Wagner but had a unique gift for concentrating his expression in the art of the lied. Typical of Wolf’s style are the frequent and striking modulations as well as his harmonization, which doesn’t recoil from reflecting the words in a humorous manner. A couple of examples from Das Italienisches Liederbuch: a rock-hard bread and dull knives are heard in the piano’s chopping finish of Mein Liebster hat zu Tische mich geladen (no. 36). In Schweig einmal (no. 13) the piano does not let the donkey’s braying pass unnoticed. And notice how the rising melodic line of the vocal and the falling line in the piano accompaniment in Mir ward gesagt, du reisest in die Ferne (no. 29) illustrate the separation of the lovers.Though Book 1 and 2 came into being four years apart, the 46 poems form a consistent whole and is one of the principal works of the romantic lieder art.