Casta Diva - Operatic arias transcribed for trumpet Matilda Lloyd, Britten Sinfonia & Rumon Gamba

• Saverio Mercadante (1795 - 1870): Zaira (Arr. for Solo Trumpet and Reduced Orchestra by William Foster), Act 1 Scene 2:
• 1Mercadante: Zaira (Arr. for Solo Trumpet and Reduced Orchestra by William Foster), Act 1 Scene 2: Liete voci!04:08
• 2Mercadante: Zaira (Arr. for Solo Trumpet and Reduced Orchestra by William Foster), Act 1 Scene 2: Ah sì, questo di mia vita03:02
• Vincenzo Bellini (1801 - 1835): Beatrice di Tenda, Act 1 Scene 3:
• 3Bellini: Beatrice di Tenda, Act 1 Scene 3: Oh! mie fedeli... Ma la sola, ohimè! son io (Arr. for Solo Trumpet and Reduced Orchestra by William Foster)05:18
• Jean-Baptiste Arban (1825 - 1889): Variations on a Cavatina from Bellini's Beatrice di Tenda:
• 4Arban: Variations on a Cavatina from Bellini's Beatrice di Tenda: Variations on a Cavatina from Bellini's Beatrice di Tenda (Arr. for Solo Trumpet and Small Orchestra by William Foster)04:17
• Vincenzo Bellini: I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Act 1 Scene 4:
• 5Bellini: I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Act 1 Scene 4: Oh! quante volte (Arr. for Solo Trumpet by William Foster)03:32
• Jean-Baptiste Arban: Variations on Bellini's Norma (Casta Diva) [Arr. for Trumpet and String Orchestra by Mikhail Nakariakov]:
• 6Arban: Variations on Bellini's Norma (Casta Diva) [Arr. for Trumpet and String Orchestra by Mikhail Nakariakov]06:11
• Luigi Ricci (1805 - 1859): La festa di Piedigrotta, Act 3:
• 7Ricci: La festa di Piedigrotta, Act 3: Tarantella Napoletana (Arr. for Solo Trumpet and Small Orchestra by William Foster)02:32
• Gioachino Rossini (1792 - 1868): Semiramide, Act 1, Scene 1:
• 8Rossini: Semiramide, Act 1, Scene 1: Ah! quel giorno ognor rammento from (Arr. for Solo Trumpet and Small Orchestra by William Foster)05:27
• Pauline Viardot (1821 - 1910): Havanaise, VWV 1019 (Arr. for Solo Trumpet and String Orchestra by William Foster):
• 9Viardot: Havanaise, VWV 1019 (Arr. for Solo Trumpet and String Orchestra by William Foster)04:15
• Le Dernier Sorcier, Act 1 Scene 3:
• 10Viardot: Le Dernier Sorcier, Act 1 Scene 3: Chanson de la pluie (Arr. for Solo Trumpet and Small Orchestra by William Foster)02:46
• Gioachino Rossini: Prélude, thème et variations (Arr. for Flugelhorn and String Orchestra by William Foster):
• 11Rossini: Prélude, thème et variations (Arr. for Flugelhorn and String Orchestra by William Foster)10:39
• Gaetano Donizetti (1797 - 1848): L'elisir d'amore, Act 2 Scene 8:
• 12Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore, Act 2 Scene 8: Una furtiva lagrima (Arr. for Solo Trumpet by William Foster)03:45
• Don Pasquale, Act 2:
• 13Donizetti: Don Pasquale, Act 2: Prelude to Act II (Arr. for Solo Trumpet and Reduced Orchestra by William Foster)02:23
• Don Pasquale, Act 1 Scene 4:
• 14Donizetti: Don Pasquale, Act 1 Scene 4: Quel guardo il cavaliere (Arr. for Solo Trumpet and Reduced Orchestra by William Foster)05:22
• Total Runtime01:03:37

Info for Casta Diva - Operatic arias transcribed for trumpet

Hailed as ‘remarkable’ by The Daily Telegraph, Matilda Lloyd is a young instrumentalist with exceptional poise and musicality. She studied music at the University of Cambridge, Royal Academy of Music, and with HAkan Hardenberger at Musikhogskolan i Malmo. She has since captivated audiences and critics alike with her artistry, communication, and, in the words of Saarbrucker Zeitung (March 2020), ‘flawless sound and virtuosic technique’, with which she brings a unique flair to every performance. She won the BBC Young Musician of the Year Brass Final in 2014, and in 2016 made her debut at the BBC Proms. Casta Diva is Matilda’s debut album on Chandos, about which she writes: ‘Every trumpet player has studied the ultimate technique book, by Jean-Baptiste Arban – a monumental tome affectionately known as ‘The Trumpet Bible’. At the end of the book are sets of theme and variations – my favourite, the Variations on Bellini’s Norma, became the point of departure for this album inspired by nineteenth-century Italian opera, as it uses the aria ‘Casta Diva’, from Bellini’s 1831 opera, as its theme. The album explores the voice of the trumpet in that golden age of opera, highlighting works by Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti. I hope that the album showcases the beauty, musicality, and technical brilliance of the instrument, and that you find as much enjoyment in listening to, as we did in arranging and recording, these fantastic pieces of music!’

Matilda Lloyd, trumpet
Britten Sinfonia
Rumon Gamba, musical direction

Matilda Lloyd
Praised as an “eloquent trumpet soloist” (The Times), Matilda Lloyd captivates audiences with her artistry, communication, and musicality. Her “flawless sound and virtuosic technique” (Saarbrücker Zeitung) bring a unique flair to every performance. ​

Matilda has a fervent desire to showcase the capabilities of her instrument and collaborates regularly with leading composers and musicians. Her repertoire ranges from Haydn to Tomasi, from J.S. Bach to Ligeti. Committed to expanding the trumpet repertoire, she has premiered several new works, including John Woolrich’s Hark! the echoing air at Snape Maltings in June 2021 and Alissa Firsova’s Stages in April 2022, both with Britten Sinfonia. Robin Haigh is writing her a Trumpet Concerto to be premiered in the 2024/25 season, with co-commissioners including the Aldeburgh Festival and Ulster Orchestra. ​

In the 2022/23 season, Matilda makes her debut in Poland with Pomeranian Philharmonic and has concerto appearances with Bad Reichenhaller Philharmoniker and Bath Festival Orchestra, including her debut performances at Cadogan Hall and St George’s Bristol. She returns to Oulu Sinfonia with Rumon Gamba and tours in France with Orchestre de l’Opéra Rouen. ​

Matilda’s debut album for Chandos Records, Casta Diva, will be released in April 2023. It includes Italian operatic arias in brand new arrangements for trumpet and orchestra and was recorded with Britten Sinfonia and Rumon Gamba. To celebrate the launch, she tours this programme with string quintet and harp around the UK, culminating in a recital at Wigmore Hall.

Ongoing chamber music collaborations include her partnership with Gesualdo Six vocal consort which exemplifies the relationship between the trumpet and the human voice. Matilda also performs regularly with Solus Trumpet Ensemble, which she founded, and gives recitals with pianist Martin Cousin and organist Richard Gowers. ​

Recent highlights include a UK tour with Britten Sinfonia, a Swedish tour with Camerata Nordica, and concerto appearances with Malmö Symphony Orchestra, Rotterdam Sinfonia, BBC Concert Orchestra, Manchester Camerata, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic and Johannesburg Philharmonic, among others. Her debut solo album, Direct Message, was released in October 2018 by Orchid Classics. Featuring 20th and 21st century works for trumpet and piano, it received a four-star review in BBC Music Magazine. She also made the world premiere recording of Arnold Griller’s Trumpet Concerto with Liepāja Symphony Orchestra for Toccata Classics in January 2021. ​

Music education and the wellbeing of musicians is very important to Matilda. Alongside regular masterclasses in the UK and abroad, she also leads school workshops and gives talks, heading a Youth Session at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in June 2023. Continuing her relationship with London Mozart Players, she is now one of their Education Ambassadors, alongside Jess Gillam and Sheku Kanneh-Mason. ​

A graduate of Trinity College, Cambridge and the Royal Academy of Music, Matilda went on to study under Håkan Hardenberger at the Malmö Academy of Music. In 2014, Matilda won the BBC Young Musician of the Year Brass Final and made her BBC Proms solo debut two years later with Alpesh Chauhan and BBC Philharmonic Orrchestra. Matilda has won many prizes at international competitions, including First Prize at the Eric Aubier International Trumpet Competition in Rouen, France in 2017. Matilda is a Yamaha Artist.

Booklet for Casta Diva - Operatic arias transcribed for trumpet