Accordionist Ksenija Sidorova has signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon. Her debut album on the label - due for release on June 3 - will be what is described as a ‘fresh vision of Carmen’, drawing on Latin, Asian, European and North American musical styles to explore Bizet’s opera. Concert-goers can get a preview when she starts touring the programme this April in Europe and America.

‘Carmen fascinates me,’ Sidorova said. ‘Of course I wanted to bring something new to this music, to let Carmen speak with a different voice. The accordion doesn’t have to breathe like a singer, so there are no restrictions to what I can do with this music. I could be daring and passionate, just like Carmen, and share in the multicultural musical ideas created by my wonderful collaborators.’ 

Sidorova has already made two recordings for the Champs Hill label, both well-received in Gramophone’s pages: ‘Classical Accordion’ of 2011 ranged from Bach to Berio, and the more recent ‘Fairy Tales’ included the accordion Concerto by Czech composer Václav Trojan of the same name (she wrote about the latter project in a Gramophone blog.) She has also appeared as guest on discs from Decca including Juan Diego Flórez’s ‘Italia’ recital album on Decca, and Nicola Benedetti’s ‘The Silver Violin’, while regular collaborators include guitarist Miloš Karadaglić and mandolin player Avi Avital .