THE SONGBIRD: Elizabeth Vidal was born in Nice in 1960. She entered École de Chant at the Paris Grand Opera and studied with Elisabeth Grümmer. In 1985, Vidal made her debut at Opera Lyon and appeared at the Aix-en-Provence. She created a sensation in 1990 singing the demanding lead role in Auber's "Manon Lescaut" at the Opera-Comique in Paris and has since appeared in leading coloratura roles in many European opera houses and concert halls -- with a specialty for unearthing long-forgotten works from French composers (especially if they wrote something for a high soprano, of course, which they often did).
THE MUSIC: In Felicien David's 1851 exotic opera "La Perle du Bresil" (The Pearl of Brazil), the prima donna role of Zora was originated in Paris by French soprano Zoë Duez and was sung soon after by legendary sopranos Caroline Miolan-Carvalho and Emma Nevada. No one produces this opera now. The birdsong aria “Charmant oiseau” is sung by Zora in the last act after she returns to her homeland of Brazil and recognizes the distinct call of the mysoli bird.
16 окт 2024
