Songs of inspiration

Zhang Liping named the album after one of the songs on the album, Sogno, written by Francesco Paolo Tosti around 1887. One of Tosti's most famous romantic songs, it is a great example of the kind of lyrical, expressive writing that became Tosti's hallmark in the late 19th century, she notes. In Sogno, the singer expresses the emotional experience of being lost in a dream, evoking feelings of yearning, desire, and idealized love. The song uses the metaphor of a dream to reflect on the beauty and fleeting nature of love.

Zhang Liping also adds that the pace of modern life is fast, and as a result, people have become accustomed to fragmented or quick, shallow listening experiences, without giving them much focused attention or emotional depth.

"These songs allow listeners to pause, slow down, and reflect on the deeper, more intricate emotions they might otherwise overlook in their busy lives. The music becomes a mirror that shows them parts of themselves they may not typically notice," Zhang Liping says.

Zhang Liping, who was born in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, received vocal training at the Wuhan Conservatory of Music and graduated from the opera department of the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in 1989.

As a young student, she was chosen to perform with Placido Domingo, a famous Spanish tenor and conductor, which inspired her to pursue opera under Canadian soprano Phyllis Mailing at the Vancouver Academy of Music.

In 1997, she moved to London and returned to her home country in 2006.

Another highlight of the album is the solo songs composed by Puccini, which are lyrically expansive, melodically beguiling, with texts and piano parts that serve the vocal line rather than exhibit the interplay of chamber music.

"The songs in this album were all composed to showcase the beauty of the human voice; their lyrics are not necessarily the primary focus of appreciation," says Zhang Jialin. "Perhaps these vocal works are best understood as pure music."