Repeatedly he was a guest at Opera Vlaanderen: the likeable Rossini expert Alberto Zedda. He conducted La Cenerentola, Otello, Armida, Semiramide and Viaggio a Reims there always with great success and to the delight of the musicians. They indeed loved the intense and gracious manner in which he guided them.
On 2 January 2018 Alberto Zedda would have turned 90. He died on 6 March last year and so Opera Vlaanderen decided to transform the birthday concert that was planned with him into a concert as a tribute to the esteemed maestro. Aviel Cahn writes in the programme booklet: "I am certain that the maestro would have wanted it to be a festive concert. A celebration of bel canto, a celebration for the swan of Pesaro and a celebration for our unique and unforgettable maestro. Viva Zedda!"
The invited Rossini stars, all singers who belong to Zedda's trusted circle, guaranteed a stylish and beautiful concert. For three singers who had cancelled due to illness, excellent replacements were engaged, also regular guests at the Rossini festival in Pesaro. Soprano Salome Jicia took over the role of Amenaide (Tancredi) with a clear and colourful soprano – albeit with a slight offset - from Mariella Devia. Teresa Iervolino performed the title role of Tancredi as a replacement for Marianna Pizzolato. Her full mezzo harmonised beautifully with the soprano and in the concluding Agnus Dei she was together with the choir movingly restrained. Enea Scala too, who stepped in for Gregory Kunde, was with his clear, light tenor a perfect fit. He was in the Armida production of Opera Vlaanderen the partner of Carmen Romeu, who here lent Mathilde in Guillaume Tell her colourful and intense voice. Tenor Maxim Mironov sounded – despite a beautiful timbre – weaker and with little volume in the voice. My favourite of the evening was undoubtedly Nicola Alaimo, the virile baritone who with great verve brought the concert arias of Figaro (Il Barbiere) and Guillaume Tell to life. His Sois imobile was delivered with such feeling that it gave me goosebumps. In the quintet from Il Barbiere di Siviglia he also easily carried the other singers along. It resulted in a lively scene in which bass Carlo Lepore also showed much stage presence. Among the familiar singers, Michele Pertusi naturally received much applause, perhaps influenced by his reputation rather than by the performance here. But the singer stood out as a convinced Rossinian.
The orchestra played with great commitment and clearly inspired to posthumously honour their beloved conductor with respect. Donato Renzetti does not have the emotion-laden sharpness of Alberto Zedda of blessed memory, but he was an excellent advocate for this long festive concert evening. The concert with a selection of opera arias and scenes was concluded with the Agnus Dei from Rossini's Petite Messe solennelle, as a moment of reflection.
- WHAT: Rossini Gala. Tribute to Alberto Zedda
- VOICES: Salome Jicia, Carmen Romeu, Cecilia Molinari, Teresa Iervolino, Enea Scala, Maxim Mironov, Nicola Alaimo, Carlo Lepore, Michele Pertusi
- ORCHESTRA: Symfonisch Orkest Vlaanderen, Koor Opera Vlaanderen conducted by Donato Renzetti
- WHERE: Opera Vlaanderen, Koningin Elisabethzaal, Antwerpen
- WHEN: Saturday 6 January 2018