Playlist: Carly Paoli listens to...

About Playlist

In this exclusive playlist Carly Paoli unveils some of her favourite songs and classical compositions and explains to us how they shaped her music. On June 30th, 2017 she releases her highly-anticipated debut album ‘Singing My Dreams’, an enchanting collection of classical and classic pieces, as well as original compositions.

1. José Carreras and Frederica Von Stade - ‘Non arrestar il colpo.’ - Giachinno Rossini Otello
Obviously José Carreras was a huge hero of mine as a young singer – and became an even bigger idol after I had the chance to record ‘En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor’ together. Frederica Von Stade I almost feel went to college – The Royal Northern College of Music’ – with me. Whenever I had to go and study an aria, I would start by checking to see if she had recorded it. So to have two heroes on one recording is ideal. I love Rossini, so this duet from the end of his version of ‘Otello’ is lovely.

2. Andrea Bocelli - ‘Mattinata’ - From his album ‘Sogno’
Another musical giant that I have sung with is the great Andrea Bocelli. He has such strength and commitment to his singing and each time we perform I enjoy myself immensely. There are hundreds of Bocelli recordings but this version of ‘Mattinata’ shows why he is so hugely popular all over the world.

3. Joseph Canteloube - ‘The Songs of the Auvergne’ - Frederica Von Stade From The Complete Columbia Recital Albums
As I said the voice of Frederica Von Stade accompanied throughout my college career and continues to inspire me. The beautiful Songs of the Auvergne are so full of beautiful picture painting that comes from the way she sings. It all sounds so effortless and yet she is so particular with her words and the way she uses them.

4. ‘Joyce and Antonio Live at the Wigmore Hall’ - ‘I Love a Piano’
Another singer that I look up to is Joyce DiDonato. I love her singing her classical repertoire but I also love what she does with songs that I also love to sing – those from the American Songbook. I love this whole album but this version of ‘I Love a Piano’ where she is accompanied by Antonio Pappano is a particular favourite.

5. Barbara Cook - ‘Make the Man Love Me’ - From the album ‘Tribute’
I was introduced to Barbara Cook a couple of years ago and I am a huge fan. She is an expert when it comes to singing the songs I associate with the musical films of MGM. I have this song in my repertoire. The lyrics by Dorothy Field and the music by Arthur Schwartz are so haunting and it is a gorgeous song to sing.

6. Der Rosenkavalier - Richard Strauss - Renée Fleming, Diana Damrau, Sophie Koch ‘Hab mir’s gelobt, Ihn lieb zu haben’ – ‘Ist Ein Traum kann ich wirklich sein’
These two numbers – the trio and then the final duet for Octavian and Sophie – are probably on everybody’s playlist. But that’s for a very good reason. The music is sublime. There is something about women’s voices singing high with all the harmonics tumbling together that just takes me completely out of myself. I chose this recording because I am a big fan of Renée Fleming. It was her recording of ‘Still Dream’ that inspired me to do my own version on my album.

7. Act Two Finale - ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ - W.A.Mozart - Conducted by Karl Böhm Hermann Prey, Gundala Janowitz, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Edith Mathis, Tatiana Troyanos
Cherubino was a role I studied and sang excerpts from at college. When I am doing my warm up before singing, I will often sing ‘Voi che Sapete’ because I always think that Mozart understands how a voice works. The whole opera is lovely but the second act finale is such a clever use of music and drama. The tension when Figaro is desperately trying to explain how a man was seen jumping from the Countess’s bedroom is just so exciting and the resolve when he comes up with an answer and for the moment defeats the Count is unbelievably exciting.

8. ‘Dust and Ashes’ - Josh Groban - Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 - Original Broadway Cast recording
One of the songs on my album is ‘Mystery of Your Gift,’ which was written by Josh Groban and Bryan Byrne. I have always been a fan of Josh’s singing. This song is from his incredibly successful Broadway show.

9. Audra Macdonald Brian Stokes Mitchell - ‘Wheels of a Dream’ from ‘Ragtime’ by Stephen Flaherty and Lyn Ahrens - Original Broadway Cast Recording
I have always adored Musical Theatre and Audra MacDonald is such a great singer of this type of music. I know I will never sing this role but this duet is so moving and inspirational.

10. Bryn Terfel - ‘I don’t Remember You’ - From ‘Under the Stars’
This is such a lovely song. One of the things that make me choose a song is the story aspect of it. I love clever lyrics- lyrics that make you think that the writer understands how you feel – lyrics that inspire you. This song by Kander & Ebb has all that and more. And Bryn Terfel? What a singer.

11. José Carreras and Kiri Te Kanawa - Leonard Bernstein - ‘Tonight’ - from ‘West Side Story’
I could have chosen a different version of this musical but I love this one. Not just because José Carreras and Kiri te Kanawa are on it but because it is conducted by Bernstein and with an enormous orchestra. The songs on my album are done in this symphonic way and to hear this song in this version is iso exciting. I have also sung this lots of times – perhaps most notably for HRH The Prince of Wales at St James’ Palace.

12. Vittorio Grigolo - ‘Roma Sogna’ - From ‘In The Hands of Love’
I chose this song because it was written by my producer and friend Romano Musumarra. To me it gives a picture of Rome that I completely recognise. I recorded some of my songs there and I love the city. Vittorio Grigolo’s voice and Romano’s music are Rome.

13. David Phelps - ‘The Dream’ - from David Phelps Classic
My vocal coach introduced me to this singer. He is primarily involved in the Christian music scene in America and is hugely popular. He has just the most exciting voice and the arrangements that he has for his songs are amazing. I could have chosen any one of the songs on this album but in the end I went for this one.

14. Bryn Terfel and Malcom Martineau - ‘The Cloths of Heaven’ - from ‘The Art of English Song’
I first sang this song as a very young singer as it was one of the prescribed songs for my music examinations. The tune is glorious by Thomas Dunhill but it is the words by W B Yeats that I adore. The last line, ‘Tread softly because you tread on my dreams,’ for me sums up the story of my new album which is full of songs that are about my dreams.