Cécile McLorin Salvant at The Met Cloisters: Mélusine | MetLiveArts

Mélusine, by Cécile McLorin Salvant

Cécile McLorin Salvant, voice
Dušan Balarin, theorbo

Marlan Barry, sound engineer
Andy Biskin, video director & editor
Rick Siegel, director of photography
Mike O’Brien, camera operator
Jill Sager, camera operator

In July 2023 MetLiveArts welcomed three-time GRAMMY®-winning jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant for a digital-exclusive in the Unicorn Tapestries Room at The Met Cloisters. For Salvant, also a skilled textile artist, the tapestries have been a source of inspiration. Much of her music relates vivid stories of mythical creatures—her acclaimed “Ogresse,” which tells of a fantastical, forest-dwelling monster-woman, premiered at The Met in 2018. Now, alongside several of her closest collaborators, Salvant creates a program that reimagines songs from her latest album, “Mélusine,” drawing on the beloved Unicorn Tapestries’ mythological grandeur and themes of corporeal and ethereal love.

The European folkloric legend of Mélusine—a woman who becomes half-serpent each Saturday due to a childhood curse—forms the basis for Salvant’s album. Mélusine weds the young Raymondin on the condition that they never see each other on Saturdays, but at the urging of his brother, Raymondin betrays this promise. In this original song, Salvant, accompanied by a lone theorbo (a French baroque lute), tells of the sorrowful moment when the eponymous maiden sees her husband spying as she bathes nude.

Cécile McLorin Salvant appears courtesy of Nonesuch Records.

Recorded on Wednesday, July 5, 2022 in the Unicorn Tapestries Room, Gallery 17, The Met Cloisters

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© 2023 The Metropolitan Museum of Art

[blacjazzz]

There is such a bright, sunniness to her tone and phrasing. There always sounds like there is a bit of a sly and loving laugh, just hidden in the corners of her voice. Such joy and clarity.

[carolynmontibello]

The beautiful singing and melodic theorbo playing with the exquisite "Unicorn Tapestries" is perfection! Many thanks for posting this video.

[Sophia-dxks]

She is really one of the greats. Incredible.

[tifu]

Her voice is giving me goosebumps, beautiful singing.

[jojelky]

Magnificent! Hope to see her oneday at Seoul Jazz Festival! 한국에도 와주시면 좋겠어요❤

[popnocturne]

Beautiful mix of 2 different eras and styles!💞

[subberfischer]

Held my breath for much of this. Extraordinary.

[alain]

Superbe femme, belle interprétation, j'aime beaucoup sa voix .
Oui c'est superbe...Alainpotager44

[donaldauguston]

This was really fabulous! Thank you for posting. DA

[TWCMSW]

I love this; I’m so glad I sub to this channel. Thank you.

[christopherdowning]

Her voice is pure delight! What microphones are they using?

[LaTericeallover]

This is beautiful but I legit thought they were gonna do Crazy in Love for a sec 😂 However that would be a sick remix.