Nhan Dan Online- International opera artists, soprano Norah Amsellem from Paris, tenor Fernado de la Mora from Mexico and bass Hao Jiang Tian, a native of Beijing, with Katherine Chu at the piano, will begin the 15th of the annual Hennessy Concert Series at the Hanoi Opera House tonight.
According to the organisers, Hennessy and the Vietnam Performing Arts Centre of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the concert will pay homage to the Italian operatic tradition and celebrate “French grand opera’ with excerpts from well-known operas offering a rich palette of moods and emotion.
Hao Jiang will open the concert with Don Basilio’s aria from Gioacchino Rossini’s light-hearted comedy ‘The Barber of Seville’ and Banco’s aria from the opera based on the famous Shakespeare play, Macbeth.
“Tian will show both the comic and serious aspects of his performance through three characters. The essence of the Italian operatic tradition is skilfully illustrated in these two arias,” said Chu, the artistic advisor for the Hennessy Concert Series, at a press briefing in Hanoi on April 20.
Hao Jiang Tian has appeared at the Metropolitan Opera for 19 years in 26 operas. He has also been highly praised for his appearances in many international concert halls such as the Berlin State Opera, Washington Opera and opera houses in France, Spain, Holland, Portugal, Chile, Japan and China, but this is his first time he will perform at the Hanoi Opera House.
“This is my first time in Vietnam, but it feels so familiar as if I’ve been here many times before, as I had a Vietnamese guitar teacher when I was 16.”
In tonight’s concert, Amsellem and Mora will portray the ill-fated lovers Manon and Des Grieux in Jules Massenet’s opera Manon. Amsellem has sung opposite such distinguished tenors as Placido Domingo, Roberto Alagna and Rolando Villazon. This is also her first time in Vietnam and after only three days, she will return to perform the role in Vienna.
“I know that the concert is one of the most awaited musical events in Vietnam and it’s a great honour of me to perform in such a programme,” said Amsellem.
Tenor Fernando de la Mora has performed leading roles in the world’s top opera houses and his voice is most suited to the French and Italian repertoire, with acclaimed performances including Romeo and Juliet, Manon, La Boheme, Madame Butterfly and Macbeth.
Tonight’s concert will begin at 8pm and will be simulcast on a large video screen located in the plaza of the Hanoi Opera House. The concert will also be aired nationally on VTV3 in a delayed broadcast.
Organised for the first time in 1996, the annual Hennessy concert brings international classical music artists together in Vietnam, offering the public a chance to enjoy classical works by talented composers from all over the world.