AS part of the Rydale Festival Spring Weekend, the 2017 Cardiff Singer of the World, Catriona Morison, gave a recital at the National Centre for Early Music on Sunday.

Accompanied by pianist Christopher Glynn, the Scottish mezzo wowed spectators with a vivacious and polished performance.

The afternoon opened with a selection of songs from Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Morison’s spirited interpretation rendered the audience unable to resist offering their applause in between each of these beloved lieder.

Her convincing storytelling was carried into a charming rendition of Pierre Vellones Cinq Épitaphes, where Glynn’s intelligent accompaniment proved to be a perfect match for the singer’s skilful characterisation and dramatic flair.

In the following selection of Brahms songs, Morison maintained remarkable control in her velvety lower register. She seemed more at home with the German repertoire, and there were some genuinely moving moments here, particularly in Ständchen, which concluded the first half.

Following the interval, Morison played on the Romantic nostalgia of Grieg’s Six Songs. She and Glynn displayed real enjoyment during their indulgent performance of Ein Traum, where the countermelodies were brought out beautifully in the accompaniment. A mesmerising rendition of three much-loved Fauré songs was followed by a selection of Claire Liddell’s setting of Robert Burns’ songs from The Kindling Fire.

Morison indulged the rapturous closing applause with a playful encore from Buxton Orr’s Songs Of A Childhood. She briefly forgot the lyrics, but was easily forgiven by the now-enamoured audience. This exciting recital was a true taste of spring on a bitterly cold March afternoon.

Review by Charlotte Armstrong