At
a news conference held on 29 May 2007, tenor Plácido Domingo announced
the final offering of LA Opera's 2006-07 Season - the Company premiere
of the zarzuela LUISA FERNANDA.
There
is perhaps no better person to talk about ZARZUELA than Domingo,
who is LA Opera's current General Director. It is an art form very
dear to his heart. Indeed to say that it is embedded in his DNA
is no exaggeration. He was born to parents who were among the most
famous zarzuela singers in their time, their zarzuela company literally
the world of his childhood and formative years.
Onstage, backstage, in the orchestra pit - he worked them all even then.
Listening to him tell his story with his charmingly accented diction and
graceful gesticulation, one instantly ceases to wonder from whence sprang
his inimitable artistry, innumerable talents, and boundless energy.
Or BUY
the DVD - it makes a wonderful gift to yourself and to your
friends.
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NOTES:
1.
Music
clip: "No puede ser" - a song in the style of zarzuela,
sung by tenor David Lomeli,
with piano accompaniment by Nino Sanikidze. Both artists are
participants in
LA Opera's
Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program. David Lomeli is the 2006
winner
of Operalia,
the international vocal competition founded by Plácido Domingo;
he
sings the roles of Savoyard and Javier Moreno (June 5 performance)
in Luisa Fernanda.
2.
Terms
used by Domingo in this video clip:
"género chico" - a one-act comic zarzuela
"big zarzuela" (or "grande zarzuela") - a more
serious musical play consisting of two or more acts, e.g.
Luisa Fernanda
