You may remember that I blogged back in 2023 about South African soprano Golda Schultz (my favourite soprano and Mozartian opera singer) making her debut at Royal Opera House in the role of Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte by Mozart. Sadly, I could not attend it in London. However, it is currently playing on BBC Radio 3. I cannot watch it, but I can listen to it. I am listening to it, in fact.I suggest you do the same.
L'opéra Carmen fut mon premier amour opératique, quand j'étais encore tout jeune. Il y a plusieurs raisons pour cela, dont peut-être un peu le choeur des enfants, que je partage ici aujourd'hui. Je me rappelle avoir même songé à faire partie d'un choeur, ou en tout cas d'y avoir rêvé. Le Royal Opera House va présenter Carmen en mai. Je songe à y aller.
This should be a treat: I learned through social media that South African soprano Golda Schultz (maybe my favourite soprano) will be making her Royal Opera House debut as Fiordiligi in (well of course) Cosi fan tutte by Mozart. Now how cool is that? This is what she had to say about it when she made the announcement:
"FINALLY this is a debut I never thought would come my way! Royal Opera Covent Garden- I’m on my way! Singing the glorious music of Mozart with a cast of brilliant singers. Grateful doesn’t even begin to describe what I feel.I sang an audition on that stage in December 2010 and I bombed. I cracked on notes, had to restart in front of their executive casting staff- your basic horror audition story for any young artist! But I picked myself up. Went back to the drawing board and promised myself that I would forgive myself my mistakes, forgive myself my anxiety and keep moving forward. I did and now because I took the steps to move through the “failure” I am getting an opportunity to share music I love with another audience. I get to make music with some great friends and hopefully make new ones. So come on London! Can’t wait to be there next June."
I admire her even more that she opened about a past failure and showed her vulnerability so openly. But with vulnerability comes resilience, discipline and an incredible commitment to her art. She proved time and again, in other productions, that she is a natural and accomplished Mozartian singer. So now I will need to find a way to watch this production. Probably not in London itself, but I think I can probably find a cinema that will show the live performance or I will stream it. Either way, I am so glad she is coming here.
'Tis the season to be listening. I thought I shared some music tonight, as since the beginning of Christmastime I have not been sharing much music here. As the Royal Opera House has done a nice little rendition of Angels We Have Heard on High with their singers sporting cool Christmas jumpers no later than earlier today, well, I am sharing it.
