ROMANCES POUR VOIX ET GUITARE ARRANGEMENTS BY HECTOR BERLIOZ Magali Simard-Galdès, soprano Antonio Figueroa, tenor David Jacques, guitar ACD2 2800 To mark the 150th anniversary of the death of Hector Berlioz, ATMA Classique and Festival Classica present the first complete recording of the composer’s arrangements of romances for voice and guitar.   Selected from The Receuil de romances avec accompagnement de guitare, most of these pieces are arrangements of popular tunes from the comic operas that were all the rage in Paris in Berlioz’s time.   Soprano Magali Simard-Galdès and tenor Antonio Figueroa are accompanied by David Jacques, who plays an 1829 Jean-Joseph Coffe guitar. The young Québécoise soprano Magali Simard-Galdès has been acclaimed for her crystalline timbre, great musicality, and magnetic stage personality.   Recent debuts include the role of Sophie in Werther for Opéra de Québec, and Louisette in Bonsoir voisin by Ferdinand Poise at Opera Lafayette.   She also returned to the Opéra de Montréal to sing Frasquita in Carmen and gave a recital at the Société d’art vocal de Montréal. Montreal native Antonio Figueroa began his career by joining the Opéra de Montréal’s Atelier lyrique artist-in-residence program.   He has won several awards, including the International Vocal Arts Institute’s Silverman Prize for his performance as Belmonte.   His acclaimed debut in the role of Nadir (Les Pêcheurs de perles) at the Opéra d’Avignon lead to prestigious invitations from the Opéra Comique, the Philharmonie de Paris, the Capitole de Toulouse, and the Theater an der Wien.   Figueroa’s career has taken off across Canada too, thanks to performances with Pacific Opera and with the opera companies of Québec City, Montreal, and Ottawa. Guitarist and lutenist David Jacques has a Ph.D. in early music performance from the Université de Montréal.   He studied classical guitar at the Cégep de Sainte-Foy, Université Laval, and the Conservatoire de musique de Québec.   His discography consists of 50-plus recordings on the XXI-21, ATMA, Oz, and Analekta labels, several of which have been nominated for ADISQ, JUNO, Opus, and ÉCHO Classik prizes.   Jacques has been awarded Opus Prizes for three of his discs: Pièces de guitarre de Mr Rémy Médard (2008), Tango Boréal (2012), and Pampa Blues (2014).   1. No. 6 Romance de Florian [Amour, on doit bénir tes chaînes]   2. No. 9 [Romance de Bédard ]   3. No. 13 Objet charmant   4. No. 8. Romance de «Gulnare ou L’esclave Persanne»   5. No. 14 Romance de Plantade   6. No. 3 Romance de Florian [A Toulouse il fut une belle Clémence]   7. No. 1 La Trompette appelle aux alarmes   8. No. 15 Romance   9. No. 2 Romance de Florian [Vous qui loin d’une amante] 10. No. 24 Le Sentiment d’amour 11. No. 10 Romance de l’opéra du «Chaperon rouge» 12. No. 21 Faut l’oublier 13. No. 18 Air du «Petit Jokey» 14. No. 16 Couplets de L’opéra de «La Romance» [ Mon coeur s’ouvrait au sentiment ] MSG 15. No. 5 Fleuve du Tage 16. No. 12 Romance de «l’Opéra Comique» [Que d’établissements nouveaux ] 17. No. 19 Romance de l’opéra de «Blaise et Babet» 18. No. 20 Romance de Naderman «Je pense à vous» 19. No. 22 Romance favorite de Henri IV 20. No. 17 Couplets de L’opéra de «La Romance» [Du tendre amour ] 21. No. 4 Air de «Philippe et Georgette» 22. No. 11 Romance de «l’Opéra Comique» [Ah ! pour l’amant le plus discret] 23. No. 7 «La Sympathie» Romance de l’opéra «Felicie» 24. No. 25 Minverne ou tombeau de Ryno 25. No. 23 Le Rivage de Vaucluse / Romance d. A. Boieldieu ATMA Classique is distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading PO Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone +61 (0)3 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile +61 (0)3 9444 6879