‘Melodies of Love and Death’ features the highly regarded Osiris Trio, a Dutch piano trio that since its formation over 20 years ago has been the recipient of many major awards. Their programme is an unusual but rewarding one, since it is devoted to special arrangements made by Bob Zimmerman of some of the best loved opera arias in the repertoire, from Bizet and Verdi to Puccini and Janacek.

The Osiris Trio was formed in 1988 and over the following years the group has won a number of Dutch awards, including the ‘Philip Morris Finest Selection’ award and the Annie Bosboom Prize. Since 2001 the trio has received financial support by the Dutch Ministry of Culture. The trio’s discography encompasses two centuries of repertoire for piano trio, and includes song cycles and a critically acclaimed recording of Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps. In 2009 the group released a fine CD featuring the piano trios of Antonin Dvořák.

Composer and arranger Bob Zimmerman is mostly known for his work on the album ‘Fascinating Gershwin’ that was released on the label Pentatone in 2007. He has also collaborated with the great Dutch choreographer Krzysztof Pastor in the 2010 ballet production, “Nijinsky”.