Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Stanislav Vavrinek - Michael J. Evans: The Adventures of Florian (2020) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

CD1
01. The Adventures of Florian, Act I: Opening
02. The Adventures of Florian, Act I: Isabella
03. The Adventures of Florian, Act I: Death
04. The Adventures of Florian, Act I: Transformation
05. The Adventures of Florian, Act I: The Adventure Begins
06. The Adventures of Florian, Act II: Black Rock Castle
07. The Adventures of Florian, Act II: No Fear
08. The Adventures of Florian, Act II: Gifts
09. The Adventures of Florian, Act II: Into the Unknown

CD2
01. The Adventures of Florian, Act III: Prince Florizel
02. The Adventures of Florian, Act III: The Royal Family
03. The Adventures of Florian, Act III: Gossip
04. The Adventures of Florian, Act III: Loving You
05. The Adventures of Florian, Act III: Flowers and Daggers and Demons
06. The Adventures of Florian, Act IV: Only a Mother Could Love
07. The Adventures of Florian, Act IV: I Got You
08. The Adventures of Florian, Act IV: You're Gone
09. The Adventures of Florian, Act IV: I'm Coming for You
10. The Adventures of Florian, Act IV: Love and Hate
11. The Adventures of Florian, Act IV: The Great Escape
12. The Adventures of Florian, Act IV: Transfiguration and Happily Ever Afters



On his seventh release on Navona Records, THE ADVENTURES OF FLORIAN, Michael J. Evans presents an epic, modern adaptation of Henry Bestons fairytale of the same name. Over the course of four orchestral acts, Evans reframes the story as a tale of trans heroship, with Prince Florizel marrying Florian himself presenting as a boy, rather than revealing Florian as Isabella. Beautifully accessible and poignantly educational, THE ADVENTURES OF FLORIAN brings LGBT characters into the spotlight to improve their representation and educate audiences on the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity. Over the course of the tale, Florian and Florizel display true love for each other and come together as one. Evans enhances the pieces narrative drive with dedicated instrumentation for each character. The oboe represents Isabella until her transition into Florian, at which point he is musically defined by the soprano sax. The powerful Enchanter is heard as a bass trombone, which contrasts with the english horn and shrieking clarinets which represent the Old Witch and her daughter. Finally, Prince Florizel is heard as a trumpet. Evans continues to show his compositional and thematic prowess through his use of themes for Florian and Florizel. Their respective themes are complete and can stand on their own, but when they come together they form a beautiful duet that represents their healthy, loving relationship. Accompanying the music and fairytale are more than a hundred full illustrations by Appoline Etienne, which depict the story and its joyous ending. The colorful, dreamlike imagery perfectly captures the uplifting theme, and helps make the albums message understandable for all ages.

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