Juan Diego Florez in Sydney

[sydneyboy]

I written here a number of times over the years that my great unfulfilled operatic wish was hear Juan Diego Florez in the flesh. Well he is giving a recital at the Sydney Opera House in November. A dream come true!

[Marc in Calif]

On 7/19/2023 at 3:15 PM, sydneyboy said:

Well he is giving a recital at the Sydney Opera House in November. A dream come true!

I saw him in recital in Barcelona at the end of May. The local audience adored him and greeted him with huge ovations each time he appeared on stage. 

After the "main" part of the recital, the pianist left the stage. Then JDF returned with his guitar -- and the biggest ovation yet. Apparently he ends his programs in Spain (maybe elsewhere?) with Spanish songs in which he accompanies himself and gives short introductions to each piece. These were just stunning!

[sydneyboy]

Last night I attended the JDF recital at the Sydney Opera House. The 2700 seat hall was packed to capacity. When he walked onto the stage the roar from the audience was almost deafening. A large contingent of local Peruvians waved the flag of Peru and called out words of encouragement in Spanish. I should add this was an evening in which usual concert decorum went out the window.

The main body of the recital consisted of well known arias by Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini, Verdi, Puccini and Gounod. He was magnificent. A showman to his fingertips. 
 

As Marc from Cali reported for his encore he came onstage with his guitar and sang a number of Peruvian songs to the delight of the Peruvians in the audience and at times asked them to join in. 
 

I thought this was going to be the end but how wrong I was. He returned with the pianist and sang 6 encores including Ah mes amis from Daughter of the Regiment (with its 8 high C’s), La Donna Mobile, Nesun Dorma and Granada. After each number the audience reacted with increasing levels of delirium.

It would be the understatement of the century to say that this was a recital like no other.
 

 

[+ azdr0710]

an 80-year-old female neighbor of mine is one of his groupies (she assures me there are many like her) and has followed him around the world at times.....occasional small-group dinners with him, the whole bit, I guess......not an opera kinda guy here, but I did give a listen and found his voice to be very distinctive, clean, and strong (duh!)......

 

Edited November 5, 2023 by azdr0710

[sutherland]

On 11/5/2023 at 4:58 PM, sydneyboy said:

"He returned with the pianist and sang 6 encores including.... Nessun Dorma"
Did JDF have the necessary vocal power for the effect this aria needs?

 

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by sutherland

[sydneyboy]

12 hours ago, sutherland said:

 

In a word yes. JDF is drifting beyond the bel canto repertoire into for example some Verdi roles but I doubt he would ever sing Calaf in a full performance. However that one aria in a recital he coped very well.

Edited November 10, 2023 by sydneyboy