NOTES ON THE ALBUM
Acclaimed Venezuelan-American soprano Maria Brea and Israeli-American pianist Dror Baitel are
proud to announce the release of their deeply personal and cross-cultural album, “Alba: Beyond
Borders,” available worldwide on September 26, 2025.
“Alba: Beyond Borders” is a testament to the enduring power of music to transcend boundaries,
bringing together the rich and resonant musical traditions of Latin America and the Jewish diaspora.
The album, recorded in 2024, explores the intertwined emotional landscapes and stories of these
two vibrant cultures through song. This artistic vision grew from their critically acclaimed 2023
recital, “Voices of Venezuela,” first performed at Notre Dame University.
Maria Brea and Dror Baitel first met in 2015 at The Juilliard School, forging a long-time collaboration
and friendship that is the heart of this project. “Alba,” which means “dawn” in Spanish and serves as
the album’s title track, evokes themes of renewal, awakening, and the quiet strength found in new
beginnings. The subtitle, “Beyond Borders,” speaks to the core essence of the project: transcending
cultural, geographic, and emotional frontiers through music that carries memory and meaning across
time.
TRACK LIST
1. Cancionero Gitano: I. Alba
2. Cancionero Gitano: II. Guitarra
3. Cancionero Gitano: III. Petenera
4. Coplas Sefardíes, Op. 8: No. 1 - Como la rosa en la güerta
5. Coplas Sefardíes, Op. 8: No. 2 - El rey por muncha madruga
6. Coplas Sefardíes, Op. 13: No. 6 - Ya abaxa la novia
7. Durme Durme
8. Duerme Negrito
9. Te quiero dijiste
10. É Urgente
11. Desesperanza
12. Lúa Descolorida (2002)
13. A Gebet (a Prayer)
14. In Feld (O’er the Fields)
15. Tsela Tseldi (Light-footed Nymph)
16. La Negra Atilia