It's not often that a musician with a unique instrument crosses into daily popular music news. However, for accordionist Ksenija Sidorova, Deutsche Grammophon's latest signing, her musical taste may propel her to unorthodox stardom.
Her DG debut comes in the form of Bizet's Carmen, which Ms. Sidorova has reimagined as a new musical endeavor that many have more than likely never heard before. An accordion doing opera, yes, is quite a feat in and of itself.
The disc, which is to be released on June 3 this year, is a singular retelling of the opera in the form of accordion music. With the production's iconic melodies and track list, an accordion reinterpreting such a narrative could give way to an entirely new perspective on the genre.
According to a press release:
"Ksenija's Carmen gives new life to some of the most popular of all classical melodies, presented here in seductively fresh arrangements. She describes the character of Carmen as, above all, "a projection of the heart's most intimate desires". In response, her album, influenced by Latin, Asian, European and North American musical styles, offers an intoxicating mix of tone colors and pulsating rhythms."
Cited a genre-crossing player, the accordion player is certainly no street corner busker. Ms. Sidorova, who was encouraged to pick up the instrument by her grandmother, is a Riga-born native who immigrated to Britain, where she because a prize-winner as an undergrad at the Royal Academy of Music.
Her forthcoming album is a departure from a normal take on the operatic canon, utilizing a different sonic landscape on an instrument not many would associate with Bizet's classic.
Commenting on behalf of her upcoming release and performing alongside Sting and Bryn Terfel, Sidorova said:
"It was amazing to perform with Sting and Bryn Terfel. That experience strengthened my belief that it's time to take the accordion to places it has never been and to reach new audiences. Carmen, which is so important to me, has the power to do that."
Be sure to check out her album in June and in the meantime, get familiar with the accordionist in a special interview and performance below.
