jp Kent Nagano: Festival Bel Canto translates torments of the human soul

Conductor Kent Nagano is offering a double boon to all fans of bel canto. Together with his colleagues of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, the Accademia Nazionale Santa Cecilia as well as the Operastudio of Renata Scotto, he will treat classical music fans to highlights of the genre in no less than two festivals within close chronological proximity. The “Festival Bel canto” will begin in Knowlton/Kanada on August 15th. On the 24th, it will take a short break, before heading over to Rome on the 12th of May for another two weeks of performances. Kent Nagano could hardly contain his enthusiasm when announcing the event, while at the same time emphasising the cultural importance of the project: “Among all the musical instruments, the human voice occupies a very special place,” Nagano said, “It is considered by many the most beautiful of instruments, capable of translating the passions and torments of the human soul in the most eloquent manner. For my colleagues at the OSM and myself it is important to honour, to share and to bring to life the great tradition of Italian bel canto today.”

The “Festival Bel canto” will be patronaged by Italian soprano Renata Scotto, herself one of the famous names in the field of Bel canto. Under her auspices, audiences will be treated to renditions of a concert version of Vincenzo Bellini’s opera “Norma” and a string of recitals: Jennifer Larmore has been confirmed to make an appearance with her longterm Pianistic companion Antoine Palloc on the opening night and June Anderson will meet a cast of young singers from the Accademia under the direction of Kent Nagano. The bill will be completed by Sumi Jo and June Anderson as well as by Gino Vannelli presenting excerpts from his genre-defying album “Canto” (which presented him in the mood for Jazz, Chanson and Pop).

All of them have been described as “heirs to the great tradition” of bel canto by the organisors of the festival, who go on to mention that “the origins of bel canto are virtually indivisible from those of opera in Italy” in general. Thanks to Kent Nagano’s incessant activities as well as the positive outlook of the “Festival Bel Canto”, a whole new generation of fans may follow: “We wish to provide a wider public with the possibility of discovering and enjoying this form of vocal art. And this is one more way of innovating and enriching our educational mission.”

Homepage: Festival Bel Canto
Homepage: Kent Nagano
By Tobias Fischer, published 2008-07-16

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