"A Canadian bass-baritone with a beautiful, blooming tone and magnetic stage presence", wrote the San Francisco Chronicle in August 2011. Winner of the Grand Prize and the People's Choice Award at the last Montreal International Musical Competition and Radio-Canada's 'Revelation classique 2012-13', the bass-baritone Philippe Sly offers a first album based on texts by Heinrich Heine. It includes Robert Schumann's sublime Dichterliebe (The Poet's Love), Guy Ropartz's Four poems after Heinrich Heine's 'Intermezzo', Maurice Ravel's Don Quixote to Dulcinea and the first recording of Three Tennyson Songs by British composer Jonathan Dove.

Regular pianist partner Michael McMahon accompanies the young singer.

“As soon as we knew we would have an opportunity to work on this album together, Michael McMahon suggested we record Guy Ropartz’s 4 Poèmes de l’Intermezzo”, explains Philippe Sly. “I was struck by the depth of feeling and immediacy in Ropartz’s setting of Heine’s poetry. Heine’s Lyrisches Intermezzo also happens to be the source of Schumann’s celebrated song‐cycle Dichterliebe. These poems are preceded by a prologue in prose about an errant knight in love with a fair maiden. One is immediately reminded of Don Quixote and his elusive Dulcinea."

The program is completed by Jonathan Dove’s Three Tennyson Songs (premiered in April 2011 by the singer): “I wrote Three Tennyson Songs as a gift for Philippe Sly, in celebration of a musical riendship. When we first met in Banff in the summer of 2009, I was amazed by the sheer beauty of his voice, and the confidence of his musicianship.”