Twenty years ago Slovakia separated peacefully from its Czech neighbours and established itself as a sovereign state making this year’s National Day a particularly special one in Slovakia.

The Slovak Embassy and Consulate in Malta never lacked enthusiasm and energy in celebrating this day. This is thanks to various ambassadors of Slovakia and Consul General Godwin Bencini, who, with the usual zest and energy, presented an enjoyable evening at the Casino Maltese in Valletta.

The soprano’s very rich lower register was aglow, matched by the piano’s light touch

This year’s offering was in line with a well-established tradition, thanks to which guests are treated to some of the best talent Slovakia has to offer. Soprano Mária Porbucinová and pianist Róbert Pechanec proved this right yet another time. This young soprano greatly impressed with her beautiful, wide-ranging voice, as did the pianist accompanying her with his superbly sensitive, balanced support and understanding.

In fact, it was a combination of the greatly expansive interpretative vocal ability of the soprano and the rapport with the pianist that enabled most of the audience (who do not understand Slovak) to gauge the feeling and meaning of the song cycles which were performed.

Slim hints were provided by the titles, which were in English. However, an even clearer understanding of what the soprano was singing would have been even better conveyed had there been some brief explanation, in English, of each piece.

Porbucinová sang a seven-song cycle by Slavicky, to texts from Moravian folk poetry. The songs evoke and express various strong emotions, like wretchedness, some happiness and optimism. This gave the soprano ample scope to use her wide-ranging voice to best effect.

Her delivery was crisp, fresh and most memorable, with the voice soaring majestically in Heavy is that Weighty Boulder, and when expressing delight in Here the Sky is Sunny and in Sky-blue Eyes.

Suchon’s briefer Nox et Solitude, to lyrics by Ivan Krasko, had the voice in a very reflective mood in Dusk, with a steady acceleration of tension. Things got more relaxed in Old Romance, and the mood was perhaps best expressed in Poplars.

Here, the soprano’s very rich lower register was aglow, matched by the piano’s light touch in producing the shimmering effects evoked by the silvery underside of poplar leaves. The last Slovak piece was a delightful Lullaby by Suchon.

By then, the soprano had already sung some very well-interpreted Verdi rarities, such as the Romanze perduta ho la pace (1838) and Ad una stella (1845). The pieces bore that indelibly Verdian trademark, a sombrely serious one in these cases and widely contrasting with Stornello (1869). This brash and rather impudent song has Verdi indirectly flying the banner of women’s lib, and it was given an aptly saucy interpretation.

For contrast, the next piece had the filigree finesse of the music of Io son l’umile ancella from Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur, underlying the increasingly passionate, yet well-controlled, voice. Very dramatic moments were in store with the long Ecco l’orrido campo, from Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, one the soprano carried off very well and with which she concluded the recital. The sole encore was O mio babbino caro from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi.