Love in Southern Climes

In the dog-day heat, feelings can seem more intense than usual, and certain songs take on a particularly seductive quality. Latvian mezzo Elīna Garanča’s new Deutsche Grammophon album, Sol y Vida (Sun and Life), captures summer’s uniquely sensual atmosphere to perfection. In her first recording of entirely non-core-classical repertoire, Garanča has put together an exceptionally colourful programme, centred around the themes of love and living life to the full. From tango and Latin American folk songs to Italian love lyrics, it paints a vivid picture of her journey to the south, the common thread that runs throughout being the emotional and melodic impact made by every piece. The album is out now.