This recital centers on Sylvia Plath's ‘Lady Lazarus’, set dramatically for solo soprano by Aribert Reimann. The program pairs Lady Lazarus with other classical and folk songs that echo its themes, addressing the struggle against oppression and the quest for freedom. The recital ultimately presents a powerful narrative of survival and self-assertion.

This program is part of the Rising Stars Festival in Harpa in May, 2026.

Henry Purcell (1559 - 1695) / John Dryden

Music for a While

Aribert Reimann (1936 - 2024) / Sylvia Plath

I Have Done it Again (from Lady Lazarus, 1999)

Franz Schubert (1727 - 1810) / Josephine von Munk-Holzmeister

Blondel zu Marien, D 626

Carol Anne McGowan (1983) / Mary Elizabeth Frye

Do Not Stand by My Grave and Weep

Aribert Reimann / Sylvia Plath

The Nose, the Eye Pits, the Full Set of Teeth? (from Lady Lazarus)

Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976) / Arthur Rimbaud

Les illuminations: VI. Interlude

Les illuminations: VII. Being Beauteous

María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir (1980)

Náðarstef (Songs of Mercy) (2025)

I. Nóttin er mér náðardjúp (Fríða Ísberg)

II. Síðasta ljóðið (Halina Poswiatowska)

III. Fljúgandi ljóð (Mosab Abu Toha)

(commissioned by Harpa, Philharmonie Luxemburg, ECHO)

Aribert Reimann (1936 - 2024)

The First Time it Happened I Was Ten (from Lady Lazarus)

Christian Jost (1963) / Franz Kafka

Der explodierende Kopf

Luciano Berio (1925 - 2003)

Wasserklavier (from 6 Encores)

Shawn E. Okpebholo (1981) (

Oh, Freedom (from Songs in Flight)

Aribert Reimann (1936 - 2024)

There Is a Charge (from Lady Lazarus)

Henry Purcell (1559 - 1695) / Anon.

By beauteous softness

Álfheiður Erla Guðmundsdóttir, soprano

Kunal Lahiry, piano

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Icelandic award-winning soprano Álfheiður Erla Guðmundsdóttir has gained recognition for her distinctive musical presence and thoughtful artistry. Comfortable both on the opera stage and in intimate, conceptual recital settings, she is drawn to a wide range of repertoire and known for her expressive depth and personal approach to music-making.

Álfheiður began her operatic career at the Berlin State Opera and has since appeared on major stages across Europe. As an ensemble member at Theater Basel, Álfheiður has garnered acclaim for her interpretation of various roles ranging from Monteverdi’s Drusilla to Verdi’s Gilda as well as Messiaen’s L’ange in St. François d’Assise and Philip Glass’s Einstein on the Beach.

A multidisciplinary artist at heart, Álfheiður is also a photographer and filmmaker whose visual works complement and expand her musical storytelling. Her 2022 performance Apparition, created with pianist Kunal Lahiry, was hailed as “a unique and unforgettable art event” and nominated for Event of the Year at the Icelandic Music Awards.

Amongst other collective collaborations with contemporary composers include the world premiere of Bernhard Lang’s Der Hetzer at Theater Dortmund and Persona, Anda Kryeziu’s operatic adaption of Ingmar Berman’s iconic film as well as performances of Hania Rani’s arrangements of John Dowland songs.

As a 2025/26 Rising Star of the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO), Álfheiður will be offering audiences a deeply immersive experiences that transcend the boundaries of traditional recital formats with pianist Kunal Lahiry through major halls such as the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, and Philharmonie de Paris. The tour includes the world premiere of María Huld Markan’s composition, commissioned by ECHO for the occasion. On the opera stage she is interpreting the title role of Unsuk Chin’s Alice in Wonderland at Theater an der Wien, premiered in November 2025.

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Indian-American pianist Kunal Lahiry is a former BBC New Generation Artist and recipient of the 2021 Carl Bechstein Foundation scholarship. Recent performance highlights include at the Wigmore Hall, Elbphilharmonie, Kennedy Center, Pierre Boulez Saal, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Carnegie Hall Weill Recital Room and Musée d’Orsay. This season includes appearances at the Philharmonie de Paris, Elbphilharmonie, BBC Philharmonic, Wigmore Hall, and more.

Kunal is currently in the process of a long commission project to create a trans Winterreise — taking the dramatic scope and psychological landscape of Schubert/Wilhelm Müller’s song cycle and reimagining it as a contemporary narrative for the queer identity and journey; a cycle of 24 new songs by queer poets and composers which speak specifically from this perspective.

Originally from Gainesville, Georgia, Kunal was a Schulich Scholar at McGill University, and graduated with distinction in song interpretation from the Hochschule for Müsik “Hanns Eisler”. He is an Equilibrium Young Artist, Samling Artist, Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now Artist, and Britten Pears Young Artist. Kunal is currently based in Berlin.