2005 was an extremely successful year for Wende Snijders. Then her theatrical and passionate renditions of French song classics caught on with a wide audience and she won several awards. Partly thanks to Sebastiaan Koolhoven's modern arrangements, old French chansons by Piaf, Brel and Barbara suddenly sounded hip and contemporary. With the album La Fille Noyée (The drowned girl), Wende consciously
… transcends her status quo as a chansonnière. She still sings chansons by Brel, Barbara and Kosma, but these are supplemented with four compositions and repertoire by Weill, Satie and Rota. It may take some getting used to, but the grand artist sings five songs in Dutch, including a rendition of Hagar Peeters' poem De Dame Vloert De Blues and a duet with Huub van der Lubbe. Wende convincingly interprets a range of moods, from apatic despondency to throbbing exuberance. All this under the guidance of the best Dutch musicians and the renowned Metropole Orchestra. The beautifully designed CD booklet makes La Fille Noyée complete. (SvdP)more
