HAUSER: My Romantic Playlist

“I am a very romantic guy and a dreamer, and all the songs that I’ve picked are extremely romantic,” cellist and one half of 2CELLOS Stjepan Hauser tells Apple Music of this playlist. “These are some of the most beautiful and romantic songs ever created, and because I was listening to them each time I would fall in love, or even after a breakup, they would always have a powerful impact.” Among them is a clutch of tracks by the Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, including “Anema e core” from the album Passione. “Bocelli’s voice is incredibly beautiful, and the phrasing he uses is mesmerizing,” Hauser explains. “The romanticism can be felt throughout the entire song. You can hear the gentle and soft side of Bocelli’s voice, and that is something extraordinary.” Depth of emotion also characterizes the tracks by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Chopin in Hauser’s playlist, which also includes Mozart’s Symphony No. 40. “Every little detail, all the incredible nuances and colours that are portrayed, it doesn’t get more perfect than this.” Except, perhaps, in Verdi’s heartbreaking opera La traviata, a tale of thwarted love and missed opportunities for happiness. “La traviata is a beautiful composition that always takes my breath away,” says Hauser. “The slow buildup of emotion and its roller coaster ride of highs and lows captivate the listener. It is a true masterpiece.”