French composer and pianist Maurice Ravel was influenced by the ideas of French classicism, ancient myths, oriental culture, folklore and various dances. Although he adopted some impressionistic devices in his works, he was more attracted by the clear contours of melody, strong rhythms and strict structure.

Ravel composed the song cycle Shéhérazade in 1903, choosing his friend Tristan Klingsor as the author of the lyrics and using three of his poems. These texts were published in a collection of 100 poems inspired by the Middle Eastern fairy tales known as the One Thousand and One Nights. It is no coincidence that the musical material of the work also contains characteristics of an oriental sound, a common phenomenon in the work of composers of the time. The longest song, Asie (Asia), evokes the waking fantasy of Arabia and India, while the dramatic climax embodies the world of China. The second song about a young slave girl, La flute enchantée (The Magic Flute), alternates between sorrow and joy, while the last song, L’Indifférent (The Indifferent One), charmingly celebrates the poet’s allure.

Ravel’s sophisticated and picturesque song cycle is performed by soprano Viktorija Miškūnaitė, a soloist of the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, together with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and Cyril Diederich, the French master of the baton.