SOLTI GALA WITH STARS, CO-PRODUCED WITH THE GEORG SOLTI ACCADEMIA
In Brief
Festive gala evening with Hungarian, English and same-language subtitles
The young György Solti, later to be known internationally as Sir Georg Solti, was contracted by the Hungarian Royal Opera in 1938. However, due to the dark clouds gathering, he could only conduct one single performance. Later, in 1948, he applied for a position once more, but following a couple of instances, he felt the foreboding of the new dictatorship and moved to London. During his long life, the renowned conductor took numerous talents under his wings, and one of his important legacies is the summer academy founded in 2004, where his former students and followers mentor those who wish to soar to this very day. In the past two decades of its existence, the academy trained nearly 300 singers and 100 répétiteurs with the participation of such international personalities as Kiri Te Kanawa, Leo Nucci, and José Carreras.
On the 20th anniversary of its foundation, famous teachers and students of the Solti Academy come to Budapest to pay homage to the Maestro in the town of his birth. The most notable of the featured artists is Freddie De Tommaso, who shot to fame in 2021 when he jumped in as Cavaradossi in the Royal Opera production of Tosca making him the youngest ever tenor to perform the role there for the past six decades. Joined with further rising stars, he is to perform popular pieces from the romantic opera oeuvre as well as an excerpt from the rarity Hamlet by Thomas, accompanied by the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra.
PROGRAMME:
R. Leoncavallo: Pagliacci – Overture | the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra
R. Leoncavallo: Pagliacci – “Si può?” – Tonio’s aria from Act 1 | Paul Grant
G. Rossini: La Cenerentola – “Nacqui all'affanno… Non più mesta” – Angelina’s aria from Act 2| Aigul Akhmetshina
G. Verdi: Otello – “Già nella notte densa”– Desdemona and Otello's duet from Act 1 | Hera Hyesang Park
G. Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia – “Largo al factotum” – Figaro's aria from Act 1 | Paul Grant
G. Puccini: Turandot – “Nessun dorma” – | Freddie De Tommaso
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J. Offenbach: Les contes d’Hoffmann – Barcarolle | Hera Hyesang Park, Aigul Akhmetshina
C. Saint-Saëns: Samson et Dalila – “Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix” – Delilah’s aria from Act 2 | Aigul Akhmetshina
A. Thomas: Hamlet – “Ô vin, dissipe la tristesse” – Hamlet’s aria from Act 2 | Paul Grant
P. Mascagni: Cavalleria rusticana – Intermezzo | the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra
G. Verdi: Otello – “Ave Maria” – Desdemona’s prayer from Act 4 | Hera Hyesang Park
G. Puccini: La bohème – “O, Mimì, tu più non torni” – Rodolfo's aria from Act 4 | Freddie De Tommaso, Paul Grant
G. Bizet: Carmen – “C'est toi?... C'est moi” – Carmen and Don José’s final duet from Act 4 | Freddie De Tommaso, Aigul Akhmetshina