Before the clues though, a few remarks on those two pictures that may confuse you: in picture no. 1 there is a mother with her girl and her boy, we're interested in the boy. In picture no. 11, there are two children, ours is the one on the right; the one on the left is also a musician and he is the one who tweeted this picture.
- Clue 1: Among these children, there are two composers, two sopranos, three tenors, three baritones and a countertenor. You can use the blog labels (remember they are on the right column) to verify the details and refresh your memory! I’m sorry I wasn't able to find any pictures of poets or pianists.
- Clue 2: The countertenor is easy to find because he's the most popular among the five countertenors that we’ve already heard. Also, the child and the adult look very alike.
- Clue 3:The two composers have had a special presence in this blog for the last two years and one of them visited us once being still a child.
- Clue 4:The two girls, that's to say, the two sopranos, don't usually sing song and we listened to them only once. However, both are pretty well known by any opera fan.
- Clue 5:The same thing happens with one of the tenors: he's an occasional song singer but, as an opera singer, he is well known by pretty much everybody, opera fan or not.
- Clue 6:The other two tenors often visit this blog; I like both very much but one of them has a special treatment. You'll recognize the two adults looking at their child eyes.
- Clue 7:Here we go with the three baritones. Twenty-three of them have sung in this blog but don't make it difficult for yourself; just think about the two more common, to begin with. The problem is that the two children are probably the most difficult ones to identify in these pictures. The time of his picture will help you to find one. The other one is more recognizable by his expression than by his features. Actually, he’s got the same look than when he was a child.
- Clue 8: The third baritone sang two or three times in the blog and he's just as friendly now as in the picture; his smile is unmistakable.
To illustrate the post we have a mélodie by Gabriel Fauré, Noël, which talks about the Adoration of the Kings. The poem is by Victor Wilder and the performers are John Mark Ainsley and Graham Johnson.
I wish you a happy new year, full of good music!
La nuit descend du haut des cieux,
Le givre au toit suspend ses franges.
Et, dans les airs, le vol des anges
Éveille un bruit mystérieux.
L'étoile qui guidait les mages,
S'arrête enfin dans les nuages,
Et fait briller un nimbe d'or
Sur la chaumiére où Jésus dort.
Alors, ouvrant ses yeux divins,
L'enfant couché, dans l'humble crèche,
De son berceau de paille fraîche,
Sourit aux nobles pélérins.
Eux, s'inclinant, lui disent: Sire,
Reçois l'encens, l'or et la myrrhe,
Et laisse-nous, ô doux Jésus,
Baiser le bout de tes pieds nus.
Comme eux, ô peuple, incline-toi,
Imite leur pieux exemple,
Car cette étable, c'est un temple,
Et cet enfant sera ton roi!
The night descends from the top of the skies,
The white frost on the roof suspends its fringes.
And, in the sky, the flight of the angels
Awakes a mysterious noise.
The star which guided the magi,
Stops finally in the clouds,
And shines a golden nimbus
Round the cottage where Jesus sleeps.
Then, opening its divine eyes,
The reclining child in the humble crib,
A cradle of fresh straw,
Smiles to noble the pilgrims.
They, being inclined, say to him: Lord,
Receive this incense, gold and the myrrh,
And let us, oh gentle Jesus,
Kiss the end of your naked feet.
See how they, oh people, are inclined,
Follow their pious example,
Because this cattle shed, it is a temple,
And this child will be your king!
(translation © M. Ryan Taylor)