On December 23, 2000 an article appeared in La Repubblica ('Carreras al Comunale biglietti
in prevendita') discussing the closing event for Bologna's European City of Culture 2000 celebrations -
a concert with José Carreras at the Teatro Comunale on January 5, 2001. Joining Carreras for the
concert were the soprano, Cinzia Rizzone, the flautist, Giorgio Zagnoni and the pianist, Lorenzo Bavaj.
The announced programme would begin with Carreras singing 'Luna Nova' by Alessandro Costa and 'Fenesta
che lucive' by Bellini. This would be followed by the soprano with 'La zingara' by Giuseppe Verdi, after
which the two voices would alternate in the first part of the programme with pieces by Luigi Denza,
Gioachino Rossini and Giacomo Puccini. The second part would include pieces by Astor Piazzolla (played
by Zagnoni and the New Quartet Italiano), Toselli, Tosti and Rendine, and conclude with a duet from
Lehar's The Merry Widow and Cardillo's 'Core n'grato'.
A note about Cinzia Rizzone. She recently sang in Sly with Carreras at the Teatro Regio, Turin in
the part of "Prima Ancella". Translating from her biography at
http://www.oft.it/curricul/solisti/rizzone.html
.
"Cinzia Rizzone began her music studies in the cello and later in voice at the Conservatorio
San Pietro a Majella in Naples. She went on to graduate in voice with brilliant results at the
Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi in Turin where she was taught by Rosina Cavicchioli. She has taken
a master class with Schwarzkopf at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, and courses in Italy at Katia
Ricciarelli's Accademia Lirica Internazionale, studying with Maestro Ugo Benelli. In 1990 she
began to give concerts both in Italy and abroad participating in important baroque and contemporary
music events. [...] The winner of international singing competitions at the Teatro Comunale di
Modena and at Savigliano, she performed in L'elisir d'amore and The Barber of Seville.
Following this, she performed in Cenerentola, Henrico Leone, Orfeo e Euridice
and La Traviata. In 1997 after winning a voice competition organized by the Budapest Opera,
she made her debut as Alice in Verdi's Falstaff at the Filarmonico di Verona and the State
Theatre of Budapest. She has taken part in the summer season at the Arena di Verona in Macbeth
and Carmen and has performed as a soloist in cultural programmes recorded by the RAI and
other television companies."
As of the 23 of December, there were still places available throughout the theatre,
La Repubblica noting that there had been not quite the race for tickets as there had been
for Riccardo Muti's October concert with the La Scala orchestra. However, by a two days before the
concert, Marina Amaduzzi reported in two articles in La Repubblica ('Josè Carreras chiude
dodici mesi di show' 4.1.2001 and 'Due grandi platee per il tenore' 5.1.2001) that only a few tickets
remained...
"A high note from one of the warmest and most beautiful voices in opera will bring down the
curtain on Bologna 2000. After 10 years of absence, the great tenor Josè Carreras who tomorrow
will give an extraordinary concert at the Teatro Comunale arrives in Bologna. There is enormous
anticipation for this event."
The city of Bologna had also arranged for a free 'big screen' simultaneous broadcast of the
concert to be given in the Medica Palace Theatre. Approximately 400 places in the front rows were
reserved for the senior citizens of Bologna who were offered free transport to the theatre since...
"The Committee of Bologna 2000 wanted to ensure that the maximum number of its citizens
could hear the great Spanish tenor".
Further details about the programme were announced in an article in La Repubblica ('José
Carreras: Romanze e Piazzolla fino a Canta Napoli' 5.1.2001) by Fabrizio Festa. Puccini would be
represented by 'Terra e Mare' and 'Mentia l'avviso', Rossini by 'Bolero', Tosti by 'A vucchella'
and 'Ideale', Denza by 'Si tu m'amais' and 'Vieni', Massenet by 'Elegie', Satie by 'Je te veux',
Toselli by 'Serenata', and Rendine by 'Vurria'. However, Fabrizio Festa did not appear terribly
impressed by the programme...
"The program, despite the fact that the concert marks the close of Bologna 2000 (and therefore
one might be permitted to expect a bit more), does not stray far from the by now customary (and not
only for Carreras) entertainment programmes offered by opera stars. Completely absent are operatic
arias (Verdi is practically ignored with only one piece and that was sung by the soprano). Instead,
romanzas and the inevitable songs from the Neapolitan repertoire."
Carreras had arrived in the city on the day before the concert and held the general rehearsal on
the afternoon of the performance. He also found time to talk to the press. In La Repubblica
('Carreras gran finale di Bologna 2000' 5.1.2001), Marina Amaduzzi noted Carreras' humility when he
said...
"Returning to sing in Bologna is a great satisfaction, but also a challenge, because after so
many years, I need to show that that I still have something to give to a public as enthusiastic
and discerning as this one."
She noted also that Carreras did not conceal his happiness at singing again in Bologna...
"My professional activities at an international level began when I was very young, after
having won a competition at Parma. So the region of Emilia is very close to my heart. And, the
Teatro Comunale is very prestigious one to which I am always happy to return. The last time I
was here was in 1990. It was a piano recital with Maestro Lorenzo Bavaj, a very beautiful concert
and it's a pity that 10 years have passed since then."
He told the press that his relationship with the city has always been very intense over and
above his professional commitments...
"I have been here many times because I have very good friends here with whom I have passed
stupendous evenings, in particular Bruno Borsari (creator of 'Musica Insieme'). I cannot think
of any other place in the world where you can eat better tagliatelle than his mother makes. I
also have a very beautiful artistic memory, the recording Manon Lescaut with The Orchestra
del Teatro Comunale conducted by Riccardo Chailly. And then there was the time that I came,
invited by the University to speak about the fight against leukemia. I felt honoured to be invited
by the most prestigious university in Europe. Bologna is a stupendous city that offers everything
at all levels - commerce, gastronomy, culture and music."
Carreras announced that the concert that evening would be "a bit different and unusual". He went on to say..
"I hope the public will like it. We will sing the arrangements that Maestro Luca Loggi has
prepared for the occasion, with some pieces that the public is expecting, and pieces that I like.
It will be an evening of emotions and beautiful music. After a career of 30 years, it is a privilege
to be able to go on stage and communicate what I feel inside."
The concert appears to have been a great success, including the 'big screen relay' to an almost
full house at the Teatro Medica. Writing in La Repubblica ('Carreras canta l'addio a Bologna
Duemila' 6.1.2001) Ilaria Venturi mentioned the numerous dignitaries present in the audience, including
the Mayor of Bologna, Giorgio Guazzaloca and said...
"He wipes his forehead with a white handkerchief, and accompanied by Lorenzo Bavaj on the piano,
he begins 'Luna Nova'. He does not hide his emotion. [...] It was the return of Carreras to Bologna
after 10 years and he was greeted with applause from his first appearance all the way to the end of
the official programme, the duet from Act III of The Merry Widow."
The next day the Gazzetta di Reggio and Il Resto del Carlino had virtually
identical reviews. According to the critic of Il Resto del Carlino ('Un trionfo per Carreras
nell'addio a Bologna 2000' 6.1.2001)...
"Carreras appeared in excellent form and the numerous public (including those in the Teatro
Medica where the concert was shown on big screen television) rewarded him with resounding applause
and shouts of 'Bravo, bravo' after each piece. [...] Carreras for his part, was able to display
once again one of the most beautiful tenor voices of the last 30 years. Gaining particular ovations
and especially appreciated were Toselli's 'Serenata' in which Carreras was accompanied by all the
musicians [flute, piano, and string quartet], 'Vurria', 'Core n'grato' and the duet from
The Merry Widow sung with Cinzia Rizzone. Two encores closed the evening."
On January 9, 2001 a longer review appeared in the print version of Il Resto del Carlino.
In 'Trionfale Recital di José Carreras a Bologna: Da Lehar a Napoli' Adriano Cavicchi wrote...
"A recital by the Spanish tenor, José Carreras, triumphantly concluded the artistic programme
of Bologna 2000. The 'grand occasion' audience crowded into the Teatro Communale to hear one of the
most prestigious and artistically valid tenor voices of the last quarter century. Carreras, appeared
in radiant form (all the more remarkable if one thinks about his long fight against a terrible
disease from he emerged the victor). Although he performed a 'light' programme, he displayed all
his qualities as a refined vocalist. The range of colours in his timbre, both in the 'piani' and
in the dramatic sections, still has the incisive and fascinating quality of the past. Stupendous
were his 'legato' and the clarity of his diction in all the languages he sang in. [...] Carreras
performed famous songs by Bellini and two lesser known but seductively beautiful pieces by Puccini.
He unleashed a veritable ovation with the powerful drama of 'Menti l'avviso' (which is pervaded
throughout by melodic influences from La Boheme). Also to be singled out was the
collaboration of Lorenzo Bavaj on the piano. Carreras has established with him a rapport of great
refinement. In the second part, the ensemble led by Giorgio Zagnoni [...] accompanied Carreras who
sang 'Serenata' by Toselli, 'Elegie' by Massenet and some famous Neapolitan songs (Tosti, Rendine
and Cardillo) bestowing on these the dignity of great art songs. [...] The duet from Lehar's
The Merry Widow was a triumph. Two encores of an extraordinary elegance: another Neapolitan
song and 'Musica Proibita' sung as a duet and alternation of voices with the soprano."
The concert was recorded live and will be webcast in the near future on GMN.com. For further
details, see http://www.gmn.com/story.asp?ms=2&id=14737
