Netrebko, audition, Gregory Kunde...
Hi there! this week was a very active and inspiring one. I keep doing my exercise routine and keep reading Holiday and Tolstoi.
On Monday Akiho and I went to Berlin to see the general rehearsal of Nabucco at the Staatsoper Berlin. We saw Luca Salsi and Anna Netrebko on the main roles. Luca was really solid and so strong on stage, vocally also very good and his artistry was very impressive on that night. Netrebko, I thought was going to mark as some stars do mark on the general rehearsal, but to my suprise she was really generous. This was the first time I saw her live and it was really amazing the way she sang Abigaile. It is the first time I hear an Abigaile that is not struggling through the role, she was really flexible, her pianisimi on the top of her voice are so beautiful and she still has an incredible voice and so beautiful. She still sounds healthy and really a master of her voice. On stage she was really dynamic and definitely she sounds younger than her age, I have heard sopranos younger sounding older than her. It was really an amazing evening for Akiho and I. Akiho really wanted to see her on stage, that is why we mainly went to Berlin. While in Berlin I enjoyed my favorite coffee places, and among all, in Bonanza Cafe, I had an incredible and funky tasty hand brew coffee from Costa Rica. It was the best coffee I had since I came back from Mexico.
Then on Wednesday I had an audition, it went really well, although I tried some new repertoire that I was asked to sing. As you know from last weeks I have been fighting a cold but I just managed to get better, just ready for the audition, however the new repertoire was too new. I did sang it and it went ok but I know if I would have had more time to prepare and I was healthy I would have delivered better. Under this circumstances however I am glad I got through it and now I will wait for the feedback.
This week I have been studying some arias and just getting my voice in shape for the upcoming revival of Falstaff in Wuerzburg where I sing again the nice role of Fenton. It is not much to sing but is a nice Verdi and the aria is really nice.
I thought the highlight of my week or this month would be to see Netrebko on stage, but then yesterday we went to Dresden to watch a performance of Otello with one of the tenors I have been wanting see since many years, that tenor is Gregory Kunde. Please google him and check the amazing career he has had. On top of that the longevity of his voice at a very high level is just incredible. And if you think I am exaggerating, imagine being 70 years of age and sing the title role of one of the most challenging roles on the tenor repertoire. Well that is is case of Mr. Kunde, at this 70 years of age he was playing the title role of Otello from Verdi, through out the whole evening he was demonstrating how to sing clear, warmth, colors, dramatic tones, solid pianisimi and clear pitch and the right amount of energy, wihtout even struggling through the whole evening. It was for me a revelation to be witnessing what someone who is master of his/her own instrument. It was just amazing how he portrayed this role. Incredible that at 70 he keeps such a clear and powerful voice, a very honest performance, a voice that sounds really mature but not tired, a voice that although his age, he has managed to keep very healthy, through I am sure very constant work and discipline. He is so clean on his onsets and also the way he cut his notes is just something to admire and learn from. His respect for music his interprets is something I was amazed of. After the first phrases of his entrance "Essultate" was just so strong and present, I found myself crying and throughout the show I found myself so moved, whenever he changed dynamics with his voice, it was just a masterclass on singing. He was so honest with his delivery of the character, nothing forced, nothing fake. His voice is really honest and clear, round and expressive. As you can see from my comments I am so overwhelmed with what I saw yesterday. It was just incredible, I am so humbled and inspired by him. He is a true leyend!
On top of that after the show we went to the artist entrance and I was able to greet him and get his sign and also a photo. He was really friendly and kind and it just made it so special. He came out of the theater like he had just coming from lunch, not from just singing one of the most challenging roles for any tenor and certainly not like someone who is 70. Really, tenors my age, or much younger than him sound more tired or older than he does. Bravo maestro Kunde, you are a leyend and a heroe to me from now on.
See you next week, take care.
