A Catalan lyrical legend and a festival born to bring a piece of Liceu to the Empordà. The duo of the Festival Josep Carreras-Castell de Peralada, represented by its president, Isabel Suqué, appeared last night on the stage of the Auditori del Parc as a powerful evocation of the past that dates back to the eighties when Carmen Mateu planned with Montserrat Caballé to stage an open-air opera in the bullring.
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The emotion was felt by both parties when Carreras was awarded the contest’s Medal of Honor. For the singer it was a double source of pride: his art was recognized and he was recognized in his country, but also within the framework of this appointment with the performing arts which one day opted for opera and dance and maintains his engagement.
The first time the Barcelona tenor performed at Peralada was in 1985, with Vincenzo Scalera at the Casinos Catalunya galas. Three years later, it made its debut at the festival, in the presence of Queen Sofía, Lady Di, the Princesses of Greece and Montserrat Caballé.
Josep Carreras receiving the Festival Medal of Honor from Isabel Suqué
And now that it is the daughter of the patron who gives continuity to the passion for opera, Carreras goes to this square for the sixth time. It was a night of farewell echoes, dedicated to his figure and his career. His own family was in the audience; that of Caballé; the Minister of Education, Josep González-Cambray; the soul of Ópera Sabadell, Mirna Lacambra, and the president of the Liceu, Salvador Alemany, with its artistic director, Víctor García de Gomar.
David Giménez, its musical director wherever he goes, opened fire at the head of the high school symphony with the sequel Navarrese opera The Cid, by Massenet, then the tenor took the stage with a song by Tosti that was difficult to start because, as often happens in historical evenings, the applause was closed and persistent. Microphone feedback made it clear that “something is wrong”, as a lady in row six commented. The Croatian-Slovenian soprano Martina Zadro, the other voice of the evening, with whom the tenor will do a few duets, came to sing the bolero of Sicilian Vespers, which will give birth to the Catalan repertoire…
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Con Song of love and war followed by The snows of the mountains (both by Martínez Valls) started the knots in the throat in a stall full of fans of the septuagenarian tenor. And let’s not say in I love you original by Edvard Grieg, before the duo arrived I want you, of satiety. At the edge of the middle part, the tenor addressed the impossible dream by Mitch Leigh…
The tenor sang an unexpected duet with the recent winner of the “Eufòria” talent show, Mariona Escoda
But the apotheosis would come after the break, once the medal was received. Carreras sought the charm in Gardel… The day you love me. train later an unexpected duet with Mariona Escodathe young winner talent show by TV3 euphoria. In intergenerational harmony, they sang the exciting a white cloud, of Llach. Carreras wouldn’t leave without offering Ungrateful heart and, already in the reminders, he would give his faithful audience the infallible words of love with the talented Escoda.
Mariona Escoda and Josep Carreras with the Liceu Symphony at the Castell de Peralada Festival
Carreras’ voice was found to be in better shape in this advice series. Entertained by a very fanatical public and aware of being in front of a figure who filled the main theaters of the world throughout his career, the tenor embarked on the offer of a Neapolitan who once again lifted the audience from its chairs or celebrated the theme with a loud general click.
Zadro then started with the famous theme from the musical My beautiful lady –I could have danced all night– in which it turned out surprisingly natural. The third encore was interpreted by the young Mariona who, in her tender and always naive voice, interpreted At the sea, from the Dyango songbook, which is also the title of his debut album. And in the hodgepodge of styles, the Croatian-Slovenian soprano returned to the stage, this time with Puccini’s effective “O mio babino caro”.
The best of the night, however, was the interpretation of ‘My way’, by Sinatra, which Carreras gave with absolute dignity.
The continuous applause from the audience foreshadowed a long night. The musical director, David Giménez, informed the musicians of the Liceu of the ensuing encore with numerical indications, for which he surreptitiously used his fingers. But the audience, very attentive, took note of the code and in the front rows they complicitly shouted the number of the encore they were going to sing.
Soprano Martina Zadro in a moment from her performance in Peralada with Josep Carreras
and it came like this words of love de Serrat in a new running duo with the fledgling Euforia winner -and speech therapy student- who connected with the tear ducts of some spectators. Best of the night, however, was Carreras’ rendition of the My path by Sinatra, which he unrolled with absolute dignity, both vocally and humanely, emphasizing a lyric – “the final curtain” – which is no stranger to him at this stage of his career. Too bad I wanted to end the night in party mode, with a useless free us de la Traviata with his evening operatic partner… Opera is insatiable.
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