A decade on since the release of the popular 'Debussy: Early Songs' (DXL 1052), Gillian Keith and Simon Lepper offer the next chapter in their Debussy chronicle, focusing on early songs inspired by the composer’s muse Marie-Blanche Vasnier, one of Moreau-Sainti’s students, who possessed a high and agile voice and who awakened Debussy’s musical and poetic instincts. She inspired no fewer than 29 of his early songs, seven of which are included on this disc.

This collection includes the world premiere recording of ‘Séguidille’, which was unpublished at the time of recording, and other rarities such as ‘Les papillons’, ‘La fille aux cheveux de lin’, and ‘Flots, palmes, sables’.

Gillian Keith has emerged as one of Canada’s leading lyric sopranos. Her superb voice and musicianship are at home both on the opera stage and on the concert platform‚ making her one of the most stylish and versatile artists of her generation. A past winner of the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Award‚ she has performed at the Royal Opera‚ Covent Garden and in leading roles at opera houses around the world. As a concert artist she has a vast and varied repertoire, performing in festivals and venues great and small, far and wide.