Last year, when I looked at the program of the Metropolitan Opera (MET) season, I saw my beloved opera I Puritani (The Puritans) from Vincenzo Bellini scheduled for April to May 2014, and in the main roles were three of our outstanding young singers: Olga Peretyatko, Lawrence Brownlee and Mariusz Kwiecien. The day before featured La Cenerentola (Cinderella) from G. Rossini, with Joyce DiDonato, Juan Diego Flórez and Luca Pisaroni, another three of our best singers. I didn’t even need to think about it, I simply booked. Six great singers in two days on the stage of the most important opera in the world. What a chance! And what proof of our success.
It’s not necessary to stress that we have witnessed the best voices, a parade of coloraturas, high Cs, high Ds and even one devilishly high F (Brownlee). For many years the MET didn’t have the opportunity to stage a performance with singers of such a high level. The names from the greatest cast of I Puritani ever – Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes – were remembered and compared in the reviews. The same for La Cenerentola, one of the emblematic roles of Joyce DiDonato. Unfortunately Juan Diego Flórez was replaced by Javier Camarena but there was still Luca Pisaroni, a great Alidoro. And we have already presented all of these voices to the Slovak audience.
A backstage visit at their invitation was obligatory. We enjoyed it very much and we met many new people from the top echelons of the opera world. We were especially surprised and touched however, to discover that Slovakia and Bratislava weren’t unheard of in this society. They still remember the big voices of Peter Dvorský, Gabriela Beňačková, Sergej Kopčák and Edita Gruberová, and recently they have enjoyed Pavel Breslik and admired the strong bass of Štefan Kocán, who sings in some roles every season.
We felt at home in this operatic temple, proud of the fact that, in a way, Bratislava contributes to it. In the Western World, the opera and the concerts of the opera stars are the top social events, attended by high society. Through the high level of concerts, we are trying to create the same social scene in Bratislava. It isn’t easy, because forty years of communism has killed the traditional social life, and the new higher social class often has trouble to rediscover values such as the opera, and rather tends to enjoy cheaper and valueless entertainment.
We believe that the attendance of many members of AmCham confirms the notion that successful people need a higher level of culture, and that they are looking for it. Become a part of this culture, join us in our concerts and invite friends or business partners. You can also become our partner and show your dedication to a higher level of culture.
Everybody is welcome because music is a universal language which brings people together and makes the world better.
upcoming concerts
25.6.2014 - Simona Houda-Šaturová
5.11.2014 - Pavel Breslik
3.12.2014 - Miroslav Dvorský (Christmas concert)
Ján Korecký, Promoter, Kapos agency
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