Nelly Miricioiu ~ Soprano
Hailed as a singing-actress, Nelly Miricioiu is one of the most versatile artists of our day. Her repertoire extends from Mozart and bel canto to Verdi, Puccini and the verismo to modern italian opera Respighi and Zandonai, taking in French and Russian composers too.
Since her Covent Garden debut in 1982 as Nedda in I Pagliacci and the 1983 triumphant La Scala debut as Lucia di Lammermoor, Miss Miricioiu has been heard in all major opera houses of the world. She has worked with some of the most prestigious conductors and directors (in leading roles that include Tosca with Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Neil Schicoff), Mimi (with Placido Domingo), Violetta in La Traviata (with Franco Bonisolli, Roberto Alagna, Renato Bruson, Alfredo Kraus) and opposite many other leading artists of the day. It was the bel canto repertoire and her dedication to rediscovering forgotten operas where Miss Miricioiu found her niche. Universally acclaimed for her luscious sound, beautifully constructed technique and exceptional theatrical stage presence, Michael Davdison wrote about her in an article in Opera Magazine: “The highly individual timbre of Miricioiu’s voice, her imagination and intensity, her exceptional range and sense of timing make for a unique talent. ”
Born in Adjud, Romania, Nelly Miricioiu joined the Conservatory in Iasi where she studied with Tibi Popovici. In 1972 she was the youngest contestant in the Francisco Vinas Musical Competition in Barcelona and in 1975 she won the first prize at the very first Maria Callas Grand Prix in Athens. More 1st prizes followed at competitions in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Geneva, Paris, Sofia, Oostende etc.
Nelly made her operatic debut in Mozart’s Magic Flute, as the Queen of the Night at Iasi Opera House, and continued to sing at Brasov Opera House between 1975-1978 in roles such as Mimi in La Boheme, Micaela in Carmen and Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus.
In 1981 she fled the communist regime and months later she debuted in Glasgow at the Scottish Opera as Violetta in La Traviata. Manon Lescaut and Tosca followed.
A year later she had her big breakthrough and starred at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden as Nedda in I Pagliacci opposite John Vickers, Piero Cappuccilli and Thomas Allen. After her successful debut she became a household name at the Royal Opera House where she has sung for over two decades in roles such as Marguerite in Faust, Antonia in Tales of Hoffmann, Valentine in Les Huguenots, Norma, Elisabetta in Roberto Devereux to name just a few. In 1996 she was trusted with the revival of the infamous Tosca production for Maria Callas.
In 1983, Nelly Miricioiu was called to replace Luciana Serra in Milan, at Teatro alla Scala as Lucia di Lamermoor. Her debut on the demanding stage was an absolute triumph. There was unanimous praise from the critics and newspapers for her extraordinary performance. Corriere della Serra said: “La Lucia who resembles Callas Triumphs, Nelly Miricioiu, substituting Luciana Serra, has reaped nine curtain calls.(…) Thunderous applause in the finale of the opera, has opened the doors of success for this singer.” After this success, Miss Miricioiu went on to sing on the stages of the most important opera houses in Europe such as Amsterdam, Bruxelles, Rome, Hamburg, Berlin, Geneva, Munich, Vienna, Salzburg, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona etc. where she has been highly praised and acclaimed for her characterization of roles as diverse as Violetta in La Traviata (a role which she has reprised more than 350 times), Mimi and Musetta in La Boheme, Cio Cio San in Madame Butterfly, Silvana in La Fiamma, Adriana in Adriana Lecouvreur (a role which she debuted at La Scala in 2000), Francesca in Francesca da Rimini, Isabella in Robert le Diable, Elisabetta in Don Carlo, Gilda in Rigoletto, the four soprano roles in Tales of Hoffman, Magda in La Rondine, the title role in Iris by Mascagni and Norma by Bellini, Lucrezia Borgia and the three Donizetti queens, Thais, Semiramide, and many more.
Miss Miricioiu has enjoyed an extremely successful relationship with the Washington Opera, where she sang roles such as Imogene in Il Pirata, Elena and Margherita in Mefistofele, the title roles in Ana Bolena, Lucrezia Borgia, Manon by Massnet and Violetta in La Traviata. In 1989 she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York as Mimi in La Boheme. She continued to sing most notably in Philadelphia, Dallas and San Francisco and in 2007 she made her house debut at New York City Opera as Agrippina. She has also appeared in South America, where she has had success in Santiago and the famous Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires.
In 1985 she began a famous series of Vara Matinee Concerts at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw and over the two decades years continued to extend her repertoire to include the great bel canto heroines. In these roles she could advance her own unique artistry in the way for which she has today become so highly acclaimed. Her Armenaide (Tancredi) at the 1992 Salzburg festival was greatly admired and she continues to sing other Rossinian roles such as Armida, Semiramide and Ermione to similar acclaim.
Her recordings include Puccini’s Tosca, Mercadante’s Orazi e Curiazi, Donizetti’s Rosamunda d’Inghilterra (with Renee Fleming; Bruce Ford) and Maria De Rudenz (Maria), Rossini’s Ricciardo e Zoraide, Pacini’s Maria d’ Inghilterra (Maria)- nominated for best bel canto recording of 1998, Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana (Santuzza) and a live recording in Rome of Respighi’s La Fiamma (Silvana) and Nelly Miricioiu Live at the Concertgebouw. Latest releases including Nelly Miricioiu -A Rossini Gala and Nelly Miricioiu – Bel Canto Portrait were both nominated as records of the year in 2000 and 2001. Roberto Devereux (Elisabetta) recorded at the ROH Covent Garden in July 2002 (by Opera Rara) was released in July 2003 followed by a new recording of Mercadante’s Emma D’Antiochia released in May 2005.
William Matteuzzi ~ Tenor
William Matteuzzi has established a reputation as an operatic tenor whose enormous vocal range — particularly strong at the high end — and attractive light lyrical voice set him apart from most of his contemporaries. He has been widely known in Europe and the Americas since the early ’80s, yet one often reads of a core of devoted supporters, with some observers suggesting a “cult” status for him: indeed, Matteuzzi mavens have been quick to point out his tremendously agile voice and its ability to reach above the tenor high C to a hit a high F, often sustaining it in full voice. Still active in the new century, largely as a teacher though, he is known for his Rossini portrayals, singing more than eight comic roles and over a half-dozen from Rossini’s opera seria works. But Matteuzzi’s repertory has extended far beyond Rossini, reaching back to Monteverdi and Vivaldi and going forward to Mozart and on to Verdi, Gounod, Puccini, and a host of others. He has tended to avoid twentieth century fare with a few exceptions, such as Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini. Matteuzzi has made numerous recordings for a variety of labels, including Decca, Philips, DG, EMI, Sony Classical, Nuova Era, and many others.
Matteuzzi was born in Bologna and studied voice in his youth, but his first serious training came with famed tenor Paride Venturi in Bologna. Further studies were with Rodolfo Celletti. 1979 was a pivotal year for the young tenor: Matteuzzi won two important competitions in Italy, the E.N.A.L. and A.S.L.I.C.O. But his 1980 victory in the Enrico Caruso Competition was a watershed event that launched his international career, a career that would involve about 100 different roles and extend to almost all the world’s major opera houses. Matteuzzi debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 1988 singing Count Almaviva in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. By the early ’90s, he was a bankable operatic star, able to make a hit with recordings containing otherwise dubious repertory, as evidenced by the 1995 album Tosti — Rare Songs on the Dynamic Italy label. In the new century Matteuzzi curtailed his performance schedule in favor of teaching: he regularly taught master classes in Japan, German, Italy, and other parts of Europe. He can be heard on a number of Opera Rara recordings: Otello, Ricciardo e Zoraide, Rossini – Three Tenors, and Mercadante’s Les Soirées Italiennes. Among his later recordings is the 2007 reissue of Bellini’s I Puritani, with Richard Bonynge conducting, on the Nuova Era label.
CRITIC REVIEWS: “Italian tenor William Matteuzzi had a unique voice. And if Pavarotti was haled as the ‘King of the High Cs’, Matteuzzi can rightfully be claimed the ‘King of the High Fs’ – high F above high C! His specialty was the high stratosphere of the 19th Century bel canto school of Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini with throat-shredding tessitura and high notes….Matteuzzi sings everything full voice! – big, imposing, colorful in sound, with agility to spare and sensible musicality….Saving the best for the end, Matteuzzi roars through the incredibly difficult ‘Credeasi Misera’ from Bellini’s PURITANI. It must be heard to be believed.”
- Charles H . Parsons, AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE, Nov./Dec., 2009
“Matteuzzi has been widely admired, not least for the good taste and the stylistic refinement of his singing. This is evident from the first in the trio from Le comte Ory where phrases have a grace of tone and movement that momentarily call to mind the name of Tito Schipa. IL VIAGGIO A REIMS finds him achieving an agility over a wide vocal range…in passages of pure unforced lyricism he is most gratefully heard and the sighing semi-diseur style of Offenbach’s ariette is enchanting.”
- GRAMOPHONE
David Parry ~ Conductor
David Parry studied at Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Music, London. He went on to study conducting with Sergiu Celibidache and began his career as a repetiteur at Glyndebourne Festival Opera, later becoming Chorus Master for the Touring Opera and assisting Sir John Pritchard both at Glyndebourne and at Belgian National Opera. He made his operatic debut with La Cenerentola for English Music Theatre. He was on the conducting staff of the Dortmund City Opera, and then joined the newly-formed Opera North as a resident conductor. In 1983 he was appointed Music Director of Opera 80, a post he held until 1987 when he left to develop a freelance career. He has also been Artistic Advisor to the Savoy Theatre Opera Company and was Artistic Advisor to Opera Rara 2005 – 2011. He is Artistic Associate at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival.
He has appeared as guest conductor for leading British companies such as Glyndebourne Festival Opera Cosi fan tutte and Jonathan Dove’s Flight; English National Opera Le Comte Ory, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan tutte, The Rape of Lucretia, Ernani, La Vestale, Turk in Italy and Barber of Seville; Opera North Nabucco, Idomeneo, L’Elisir d’Amor, Le Compte Ory, Der Zwerg, I Pagliacci and Jonathan Dove’s The Adventures of Pinocchio; and Garsington Opera La Cenerentola, Don Pasquale, La gazza ladra, Barber of Seville, L’Equivoco Stravagante and Il Turco in Italia. He conducted a new production of Madam Butterfly for English National Opera, directed by Anthony Minghella, to great critical acclaim, including an Olivier Award.
Foreign opera productions include the Spanish premiere of Peter Grimes, The Rakes Progress and Jenufa at the Teatro Lirico Nacional La Zarzuela Madrid, La Fille du Regiment, La Traviata and Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Orviedo Festival, Lucia di Lammermoor in Murcia, Carmen in San Sebastian and Nixon in China for Greek National Opera. He conducted Tosca, Die Zauberflöte and Fidelio at the Hong Kong International Festival, Maria Stuarda and La Finta Gardiniera for Theatre Basel, and Lucia di Lammermoor for New Israeli Opera. More recently he has conducted Maria Stuarda for Stockholm Royal Opera, The Flying Dutchman for Portland Opera USA, Flight at the Nationale Reisopera, Don Giovanni at the Niedersachsische Staatstheater Hannover and Le Comte Ory and Il Barbiere di Siviglia at Staatstheater Stuttgart.
His numerous opera recordings for Opera Rara and the series of classic repertoire in English for Chandos Records have been hailed by the critics, notably Rosomondo d’Inghilterra, L’Assedio di Calais, Emilia di Liverpool, Orazi e Curiazi and Il Crociato in Egitto for Opera Rara, and L’Elisir d’Amore, Don Pasquale, Tosca, Der Rosenkavalier, La Bohème, Il Trovatore, Faust and Carmen, for Chandos, to name a few.
In 1992 he was appointed founding Music Director of Almeida Opera where he has given the world premieres of Nigel Osborne’s Terrible Mouth, Kevin Volans’s The Man who Strides the Wind, Elena Firsova’s The Nightingale and the Rose and Ion by Param Vir. Other premieres he has given include Stephen Oliver’s Mario and the Magician at the Batignano Festival (Italy) and the UK premiere of Bruno Maderna’s Satiricon with Opera Factory.
David Parry regularly conducts leading orchestras in the UK and in Europe including the London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony, Philharmonia, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, English Chamber Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic and Madrid symphony orchestras.
Future plans include Caterina Cornaro for Opera Rara, La Pericole for Garsington Opera and Stravinsky in Geneva. He also gives concerts with the Philharmonia and John Tomlinson, English Chamber Orchestra, Brabants Orkest and at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival.
Luca Gorla ~ Pianist / Coach
Born in Milan, Luca Gorla studied at the Conservatory of Verona, obtaining at the same time, an Arts degree at Milan’s State University. After winning the 1981 International Stresa Competition, he began an intense career as a concert performer and vocal coach with renowned singers like: C. Bergonzi, R. Blake, M. Devia, M. Freni, L. Gencer, E. Nesterenko, M. Olivero, R. Raimondi, L. Serra, R. Vargas, G. Valdengo, R. Villazon.
Gorla studied bel canto repertoire with Rodolfo Celletti (being for several years his assistant and collaborator) and Alberto Zedda; devoted himself to history of vocality, the executive praxis and the didatics of repertoire. He has taught master classes at the Verdi Academy of Busseto, Rossini Academy of Pesaro, Spontini Academy, International Academy of Milano and Roma, AsLiCo of Milano, International Academy of Osimo, Holland Summer School and in Japan, Korea, Australia etc.
He recorded the Spontini’ s Lieder with Valeria Esposito as well as Rossini’s and Donizetti’s music. He was member of the editorial staff of the Opera dictionary edited by Baldini and Castoldi and rapporteur in several meetings. Since 1993 to 2004 he has been artistic director of the Bel Canto Festival Dordrecht.
Now he is the artistic director of the Accademia Harmonica of Modena. Recently Gorla has created the artistic projects of Elina Garança’s and Mojca Erdmann’s bel canto CD for Deutsche Grammophon.
