Patricia Petibon in Concert from Radio 4 Concerthuis (Netherlands)

I always think of Patricia Petibon as quirky and chirpy (Queen of the Night, Lulu, and assorted Baroque showpieces), but lately it seems her voice has taken on more depth and color than I remember from before. 

In this recital of (mostly) French Chanson (plus some Spanish songs, and a little Bernstein and Arlen), she sounds smoky and sometimes even seductive. 

She has not left the quirks completely behind; she gets a little silly now and then, and the audience is having a great time. The Poulenc (and Bernstein) songs are indeed quirky songs, but they’re hardly chirpy. But the pièce de résistance here is Ravel’s Shéhérazade.

Thanks to an anonymous reader who, a few months ago, posted a link to Netherlands Radio 4 Concerthuis ("All of Radio 4’s concerts under one roof"). They have a treasure trove of archived concerts, including many vocal recitals and of course many Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra concerts. 

Oh boy! More reasons to spend more time in front of my computer!