CANÇÓ ARGENTINA (ARGENTINE SONG)
with Mercedes Gancedo and Quimey Urquiaga
This repertoire will focus on Argentine music, with emblematic works by composers such as Carlos Guastavino, Lía Cimaglia and Alberto Ginastera. The evening will include representative pieces such as “La rosa y el sauce” and “Pueblito, mi pueblo” by Guastavino, characterised by their lyrical beauty and deep roots in Argentine folklore tradition. Intimate and evocative songs by Lía Cimaglia, such as “Botoncito” and “Balada”, will also be performed, giving the programme a more personal, touching feel. The concert will end with the lively, vibrant rhythms of Ginastera, with compositions such as “Danza de la moza donosa” and “Cinco canciones populares argentinas”, which show the wealth and diversity of Argentina’s musical heritage. This performance provides a unique opportunity to enjoy the fusion between piano and voice in a journey through the most authentic Argentine music.
PERFORMERS
Mercedes GancedoArgentine soprano, made her début at the age of 18 as Despina in Così fan tutte. Trained with masters such as Jaume Aragall, Teresa Berganza and Montserrat Caballé, she combines her operatic side with intense lieder and symphonic activity. She has won competitions such as the Francesc Viñas, the Premi Primer Palau and the Competizione dell’Opera. She has performed roles such as Elle (La voix humaine), Barbarina, Papagena and Suor Genovieffa at theatres such as the Gran Teatre del Liceu and the Teatro Real, under the batten of conductors such as Gustavo Dudamel and Riccardo Frizza. She has also taken part in festivals such as the Schubertíada and LIFE Victoria, and she recorded the album Cooking America! with pianist Beatriz Miralles.
Quimey Urquiaga, an Argentine pianist born in Bahía Blanca in 1989, he trained in piano, orchestra conducting, and musical education at the National University of La Plata and the Gilardo Gilardi Conservatory. In 2021, he earned a Victòria del Àngels Master’s degree in Lied from ESMUC, where he continues to collaborate as a pianist. He has taken part in masterclasses with leading figures such as S. Lepper and F. Lott. He has performed at the Festival LIFE Victoria and has been Dame Felicity Lott’s pianist. In 2021, he recorded his first album of Argentine chamber song with soprano Soledad Cardoso. He has performed as venues such as Teatro Argentino, Auditori Manuel de Falla and Cercle del Liceu. In 2024, he was pianist in the Tenor Viñas Competition and made his début in London with Mercedes Gancedo.