Bizet: The Piano WOrks

Release date: 30 January 2026

2025 marks the 150th anniversary of the death of Georges Bizet, the composer of the famous opera Carmen. Italian pianist Roberto Prosseda has now recorded Bizet's lesser-known piano repertoire. His new album features all of Bizet's solo piano pieces, including Chants du Rhin — songs without words in the tradition of Mendelssohn — as well as preludes, nocturnes, and waltzes that evoke the romantic piano style of Chopin. The liner notes were written by Hugh Macdonald, the world's leading Bizet expert.Born in Latina, Lazio, in 1975, Roberto Prosseda is one of the most active and versatile Italian musicians on the current international scene. He gained worldwide fame with his recording of Mendelssohn's complete piano works. Over the past 20 years, he has performed with some of the world's leading orchestras and conductors. He regularly performs at major Italian concert halls, including the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and the Teatro alla Scala.

Tracklisting:

Bizet: Variations chromatiques, WD 54

1 Theme. Moderato maestoso 2. Var. 1. Un pochissimo più allegretto 3. Var. 2. A tempo rubato 4. Var. 3. A tempo risoluto 5. Var. 4. Con fuoco 6. Var. 57. Var. 6. Agitato 8. Var. 79. Var. 8. Con espressione 10. Var. 9. Un peu plus vite 11. Var. 10. Alla polacca 12. Var. 11. Andante 13. Var. 12. Plus animé 14. Var. 13. Mouvement des premières variations 15. Var. 14. Appassionato, espressivo assai 16. Coda. Semplice – Un peu plus lent, malinconico

Chants du Rhin, WD 52 17. I. L'aurore 18. II. Le depart 19. III. Les rêves 20. IV. La bohémienne 21. V. Les confidences 22. VI. Le retour

23. 1er Nocturne in D Major, WD 55 24. Marine, WD 53 25. Grande valse de concert, WD 48 26. 1er Nocturne in F Major, WD 49 27. Chasse fantastique, WD 51 28. Romance sans paroles, WD 46 29. Caprice original No. 1 in C Sharp Minor, WD 45 30. Caprice original No. 2 in C Major, WD 47 31. Valse in C Major, WD 43

4 Preludes, WD 42 32. No. 1 in C Major. Allegretto 33. No. 2 in A Minor. Andante espressivo 34. No. 3 in G Major. Andantino 35. No. 4 in E Minor. Allegretto

36. Thème brillant in C Major, WD 44

Digital only: from Magasin des familles, 1855/6 Méditatios Réligieuses Romance snas Paroles Casilda Polka-Mazurka