New Year’s Eve Gala

PERFORMERS

Pretty YendeMichael Fabiano

Chorus and Orchestra of the Polish National Opera, violin solo: Stanisław Tomanek

Music director: Patrick Fournillier

DIRECTED BY

Jarosław Kilian

HOSTED BY

Katarzyna Sanocka and Andrzej Sułek

PROGRAMME

GIOACCHINO ROSSINI
Overture to The Thieving Magpie

Una voce poco fa
Rosina's cavatina form Act 1 of The Barber of Seville

FRANCESCO CILEA
È la solita storia del pastore
Federico's aria from Act 2 of L’arlesiana

GIACOMO PUCCINI
O soave fanciulla
Rodolfo and Mimì's duet From Act 1 of La bohème

CHARLES GOUNOD
Ainsi que la brise légère
chorus from Act 2 of Faust

Je veux vivre
Juliette's aria from Act 1 of Roméo et Juliette

JULES MASSENET
Prélude
from Werther

Lorsque l'enfant revient d'un voyage
Werther's aria from Act 2 of Werther

GIUSEPPE VERDI
Fuoco di gioia chór
from Act 1 of Otello

Già nella notte densa
Otello and Desdemona's duet from Act 1 of Otello

– INTRMISSION –

JULES MASSENET
Prélude
from Act 1 of Manon

VICTOR HERBERT
Art Is Calling for Me (I Want to Be a Prima Donna)
Princess Stellina from The Enchantress

GIACOMO PUCCINI
Amore mio! Mia madre!
Ruggero and Magda's deut from Act 3 of La Rondine

RUGGERO LEONCAVALLO
Coro delle campane
chorus from Act 1 of IPagliacci

Vesti la giubba
Canio's aria from Act 1 of IPagliacci

JULES MASSENET
Méditation 
intermezzo from Act 2 of Thaïs

Toi! Vous!
Manon Lescaut and Chevalier des Grieux's duet from Act 3 of Manon

Born in South Africa, the soprano Pretty Yende shot to international fame after her win at the prestigious Operalia competition in 2011. Today, she is one of the most sought-after singers in the world. Ms Yende’s appearance at the Polish National Opera in a 2022 concert alongside Artur Ruciński was a huge success. This time she will share the stage with American tenor and star of the Metropolitan Opera Michael Fabiano, who is making his Warsaw debut.

In opera, the meeting of a tenor and a soprano usually produces a sparkle that ignites high passions. Although they are rarely given the chance to flourish as a couple, their love is a good opportunity to paint a nuanced picture of their relationship and the accompanying emotions: infatuation, exhilaration, jealously, despair.

The situation faced by Rosina (The Barber of Seville) is unenviable. The girl is under the control of a Doctor Bartolo, who plans to marry her, but she is in love with another man. In the cavatina Una voce poco fa, she reminisces about meeting her beloved and resolves to fight for her happiness. Federico, the protagonist of L’arlesiana, has given up all hope of regaining the love of his life and is lamenting his fate in his compelling È la solita storia del pastore. Rodolfo and Mimì, the lovers in La bohème, do not know yet how the ending of their love story – O soave fanciulla is a duet of two people who have just fell in love at first sight. The waltz-timed chorus Ainsi que la brise légère from Faust paves the way for Juliet’s dancy arietta Je veux vivre, encapsulates the carefreeness of youth. Deeply devoted to each other, Otello and Desdemona desire nothing but peace, yet fall victim to Iago’s intrigue (chorus Fuoco di gioia and duet Già nella notte densa).

The second part of the concert starts with Princess Stellina’s comical confession from the operetta The Enchantress as she shares her desire to become a diva and thus win the hear of her beloved (Art is Calling for Me). The following pieces are much more darker in mood. Magda and Ruggero’s duet from La Rondine interrupts the lovers' blissful state as they repose on the French Riviera. The heroine does not want to lie to her fiancé and reveals the truth about her past: she used to be a courtesan and fears she will never be able to have a happy relationship with Ruggero because of the social stigma (Lui!… Lui!… Vi supplico!). The setting in I Pagliacci is exactly opposite. Bells ring vespers, inviting a group of villagers into the church and diverting attention from the arrival of Canio’s troupe into the Calabrian village (Coro delle campane). The idyl is deceptive: betrayed by his wife, Canio decides to take revenge for the dishonour. For the time being, however, he must stifle his anger, put on a clown’s costume, and entertain his audience (Vesti la giubba). Méditation from the opera Thaïs will introduce the duet of Chevalier des Grieux and Manon (Toi! Vous!). While the man weeps for his lost love, his ex-lover arrives trying to get his affections back and leaves us wondering how their life turns out.
 
New Year’s Eve is not only about fireworks and popping champagne bottles, although the gala will sparkle with undisputed opera hits. It is also a chance to look back at the past twelve months, appreciate the ups and lows, and celebrate the hope with which we enter the New Year.