The hushed ambiance of the Cairo Opera House’s main building was interrupted for about an hour yesterday afternoon. Amid the huge weaved remakes of Gazbia Sirry’s brilliant paintings, the second floor teemed with journalists, cameras and a TV crew facing a panel of about seven people in honor of one of the world’s leading mezzo sopranos, Teresa Berganza.
In cooperation with the Spanish embassy and the Cervantes Institution, the Cairo Opera House has invited the renowned Spanish opera singer to perform for two nights at the main hall on May 9 and 13.
The proceedings of the both charity concerts will be donated to build schools in underprivileged areas in Egypt.
On May 15 and 16 Berganza will also lead two master classes to train young Egyptian opera singers.
Opera singer Hassan Camy, who moderated the press conference, said that Berganza, who spoke in Spanish and had a translator, will be performing selected arias from famous Baroque operas.
On the first night, she will be accompanied by German cellist Wolfgang Lehner playing with a Stradivarius cello of 1735, and Spanish cellist Joseph Bassal who will play with a historical Gagliano 18th century instrument.
These antique instruments, said Camy, were chosen for their particular ability to blend harmoniously with Berganza’s voice.
On the second night, she will perform with Spanish pianist Julio Alexis Muñoz, a well-known interpreter of chamber music.
The two nights promise to deliver a selection of opera favorites including works by Vivaldi, Handel, Rossini, Mozart, Piazolla, Bizet, Scarlatti and more as well as famous tango and bolero songs.
Born in Madrid in 1935, Berganza stands out in the field for her “technical virtuosity, musical intelligence and beguiling stage presence.
She studied piano and voice at the Madrid Conservatory and made her operatic debut as Dorabella in Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte in 1957.
On the same year, she made her La Scala debut and in 1959 she made her first appearance in London’s Royal Opera House as Rosina in Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville , which became one of her signature roles.
Camy also said that her role in another of Rossini’s works “La Cenerentola, based on the fairytale of Cinderella, is one of the most outstanding roles she’s ever played.
In 1994, Berganza became the first woman elected to the Spanish Royal Academy of Arts. She currently teaches singing at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía, continues to perform music of Spanish composers and gives master classes all over the world.
