Marianne Crebassa: potent and versatile at Leeds Song

Marianne Crebassa

Joseph Middleton and Marianne Crebassa

By Richard Wilcocks, 14 April 2026

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“the poems are dreamily sensuous... and Crebassa conveyed this quality brilliantly”

Reviewed at Leeds Conservatoire: The Venue, Leeds on 12 April 2026

Debussy, Chansons de Bilitis

Debussy, Préludes, Bk 1 no. 8: La Fille aux cheveux de lin (The girl with the flaxen hair)

Mahler, Kindertotenlieder

Debussy, Préludes, Bk 2 no. 5: Bruyères

Mompou, Combat del Somni

Ravel, Cinq mélodies populaires grecques

Bizet, Carmen: Seguidilla "Près des remparts de Séville"

Marianne Crebassa, Mezzo-soprano

Joseph Middleton, Piano

Frauenliebe und -sterben: Kratzer’s triple bill at Staatsoper Hamburg

Mengguang Huang, 15th April

Director Tobias Kratzer engineers a haunting pasticcio of Schumann, Bartók and Zemlinsky, tracing the domestic sphere’s shift from romantic surrender to the blood-soaked secrets of a century-spanning house.

****1

A soul-shaking Winterreise from Mark Padmore and Joseph Middleton

Simon Thompson, 27th June

This year's East Neuk Festival features all three of Schubert's song cycles, but this Winterreise was the one that gripped the heart.

*****

An evening of song from La Belle Époque with Veronique Gens

Simon Thompson, 10th September

One of the Lammermuir Festival's miniature miracles: Véronique Gens and Joseph Middleton present an evening of French chansons in the East Lothian countryside.

****1

The Other Eden: superb recital of English song at Leeds Lieder

Timothy Robson, 27th March

Kitty Whately’s parents, Kevin Whately and Madelaine Newton, joined the mezzo and pianist Joseph Middleton, reading poetry to illuminate the themes of the song groups.

****1

Ravel's friends and rivals at Wigmore Hall

Kevin W Ng, 15th September

Mary Bevan’s bewitching soprano is the star of a glorious programme of music by Ravel and his contemporaries.

***11

Lullabies and dreams from Connolly and Middleton

Nick Boston, 6th August

The perfect invitation to daydream on a hot afternoon.

*****

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Richard Wilcocks

Richard Wilcocks has worked as a journalist, as a teacher and for the British Council. He sings bass with Leeds Festival Chorus.

French mezzo Marianne Crebassa is potent and versatile at Leeds Song