Susanna Baudelaire & Orchestra Import LP

Norwegian singer-songwriter Susanna continues to explore her fascination with the poetry and persona of Charles Baudelaire, with a 2023 album that scales up her distinctive settings of the French poet/bohemian's classic texts to the size of an orchestra.

On Baudelaire & Orchestra, Susanna is joined by Oslo's incredible, forward-thinking KORK orchestra. The radio orchestra of NRK (Norway's national broadcaster) is known for its progressive approach, diversity and willingness to tackle challenging and contemporary music of all types. The music was arranged by Jarle G. Storløkken, with contributions from innovative composer Jan Martin Smørdal, who was awarded the Nordheim Prize in 2022. Christian Eggen - one of Norway's top conductors - leads the orchestra, while it was produced and mastered by Deathprod.

Susanna's intense relationship with the poetry of the French symbolist has so far led to two albums and an EP, and a string of rapturously received concerts. It all started with Baudelaire and Piano (2020), an intimate set of ten songs with just Susanna alone at her piano. In 2022 came Elevation, featuring 11 more Baudelaire jewels. The material blossomed into a collaborative enterprise with Stina Stjern and Delphine Dora, combining tape, spoken word and song.

Like Baudelaire, Susanna's music probes the edges of desire, and confronts the simultaneous wonder and meaningless of existence. Baudelaire is often considered one of the first modern poets, whose urban observations frequently dipped into fantasy, sensuality, fevered imaginings and eerie horror. Susanna's selection of texts from his masterwork The Flowers of Evil (translated by Anthony Mortimer) covers the full spectrum of Baudelaire's conflicted expression.

Based in Oslo, the Norwegian artist and singer/songwriter formed her duo Susanna and the Magical Orchestra in 2000 for exquisite, minimalistic interpretations of pop songs, both mainstream and leftfield. Since 2007 her songwriting has travelled in multiple directions, from her Meshes of Voice project with transgressive singer Jenny Hval, to settings of Norwegian poet Gunvor Hofmo, and the collaboration with new music group Ensemble neoN on The Forester (2013). 2019's Garden of Earthly Delights was nominated for a Norwegian Grammy award (Spellemannprisen) in the Open category. She is a three-times winner of Norwegian Grammys for previous releases. She releases her music on her own label, SusannaSonata.