Soprano Carmen Giannattasio has been in demand since she was thrust before the public eye when she won both the First Prize and the Audience Award at Placido Domingo’s Operalia in Paris in 2002. She took on one of the most challenging soprano roles soon after, singing Violetta La Traviata. Reviewing a 2007 performance at Scottish Opera, Rupert Christiansen wrote in the Daily … [Read more...]
Cecilia Bartoli Baroque Project announced at La Scala – Giulio Cesare, Semele, Ariodante
Today, La Scala announced a project to widen the knowledge and appreciation of Baroque music, in a country that has produced so much, yet now often overlooks a genre that is booming in other parts of the world. Cecilia Bartoli — who made a guest appearance last night at the end of Javier Camarena’s Italian debut concert as part of the Pavia Sacred Music Festival— will be … [Read more...]
More than 10% tune in to see Andrea Chénier live from La Scala
11,1% of Italy's viewing public tuned in to watch Andrea Chénier transmitted yesterday evening, live from La Scala. 2,077,000 viewers followed the production, with over 11 million people watching it for a while before changing channels to watch their favourite game show. Italy is the home of opera, but people don’t wander down the streets whistling melodies from Aida, so … [Read more...]
Interview with tenor Yusif Eyvazov, La Scala’s Andrea Chénier and not just ‘Mr Netrebko’
Tenor Yusif Eyvazov is a brave man indeed. Tonight, he makes his debut at La Scala… in the title role… on the opening night of the season. Many have gone down in flames with just one of these responsibilities, and the ‘loggionisti’ are waiting. He says, I’ve already accepted that there may be boos. It's December 7th, at La Scala.... a temptation difficult to resist for the … [Read more...]
La Scala remembers Dmitri Hvorostovsky who has died at 55
Teatro alla Scala has learnt with profound sorrow of the loss, after a long illness, of the baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Born in Krasnoyarsk in 1962, Hvorostovsky was one of the most esteemed voices and one of the most charismatic interpreters of the last decades in a repertoire ranging from Verdi to Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky. At La Scala he debuted in 1992 with a recital … [Read more...]