Cantus - The Secret Letter (2026) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Yhinx. An Ancient Greek Love Charm
02. Canto a Eleggua (Arr. for Vocal Ensemble by Arlety Valdés & Yudelkis Lafuente)
03. Love Is…
04. Interlude: Marcus Aurelius to Marcus Fronto
05. Bésame Mucho (Arr. for Vocal Ensemble by José Galván)
06. Interlude: Excerpt from De Profundis
07. Figure humaine, FP. 120: No. 6, Le jour m’étonne et la nuit me fait peur
08. A Source of Light: No. 1, On the Shoulders of Giants
09. Interlude: Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, August 21, 1869
10. We Two: No. 4, Not Heat Flames Up and Consumes
11. Light Years to Lebanon
12. Interlude: Emily Dickinson to Susan Gilbert, Summer 1852
13. Before Spring
14. 3 Sbory mužské, JW IV/19: No. 1, Loučení
15. Blackbird (Arr. for Vocal Ensemble by Paris Rutherford)
16. Interlude: To the One I Once Was (or Might Have Been)
17. The King and I: We Kiss in a Shadow (Arr. for Vocal Ensemble by Chris Foss)

For centuries, a clandestine world of forbidden love has thrived within the pages of passionate letters, spanning nearly two millennia. From the profound musings of Emperor Marcus Aurelius to the poetic whispers of Walt Whitman, these epistolary treasures unveil the tender, tumultuous, and triumphant journey of love through the ages. The Secret Letter is a celebration of those voices. Their words remind us that queer love is as ancient, as passionate, and as real as any other.

In this poignant exploration, Cantus delves into the depths of unspoken desires and hidden yearnings, where queer love has often been relegated to the shadows, obscured by the weight of societal expectations and prejudices. Through spoken work and music, Cantus sheds light on the resilience and courage of those who dared to love boldly, despite the risks and obstacles they faced. They remind us that love, in all its forms, is defiant. And that in a world that has so often tried to silence it, love still finds a way to be heard.

Through the evocative works of Mari Esabel Valverde, Abbie Betinis, Leoš Janáček, Melissa Etheridge and others, Cantus celebrates the indomitable spirit and timeless allure of love in all its forms. Join Cantus in a mesmerizing exploration of love’s enduring legacy—a testament to resilience, passion, and the boundless power that transcends time itself.