L'extase

With mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená and pianist Mitsuko Uchida, two world stars join forces for L'extase, a collection of songs by Claude Debussy and Olivier Messiaen. Debussy was Messiaen's lifelong idol and their songs are equally colorful, lush, sensual and sometimes exotic. The album takes its name from the sultry song 'C'est l'extase langoureuse' from Debussy's Ariettes oubliées, and this song cycle is combined with his Chansons de Bilitis and Cinq poèmes des Baudelaires, while Messiaen is represented with the second book of his Poèmes pour Mi, a declaration of love to his first wife Claire Delbos. This recording demonstrates the deep affinity of both performers with French music, as well as their musical partners. With L'extase, star mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená presents the seventh album of her exclusive collaboration with Pentatone, following previously Il giardino dei sospiri, Soirée (both from 2019), Nostalgia (2021), Folk Songs (2023), the title role in Händel's Alcina and Czech Songs (both from 2024). Mitsuko Uchida, one of the most respected artists of our time, is renowned as an unparalleled interpreter of works by Mozart, Schubert, Schumann and Beethoven, and as an admirer of the piano music of Alban Berg, Arnold Schönberg, Anton Webern and György Kurtág. She makes her debut at PENTATONE.