Enrique Mazzola, guest conductor with Per Arne Glorvigen, bandoneon and Silvia Tro Santafé, mezzo-Soprano and the Oslo Philharmonic in music of Ibert, Berio, Piazzola and de Falla. Recorded in concert November 21, 2011 and broadcast by NRK P2, Oslo Norway.
Like many others, I have become a huge fan of Enrique Mazzola, ever since first hearing him via Spanish Radio several years ago. He is part of that new generation of artists who are pumping life into the concert halls and airwaves of the world. It’s the adventuresome spirit and the embrace of the unfamiliar as well as the fresh take on the staples in our musical diets that makes hearing his work with orchestras and soloists a brand new experience.
Not that the Oslo Philharmonic isn’t a hot little band anyway, but he did increase the voltage in their seats through much of the concert. It’s spirited playing and the orchestra fills the bill admirably.
Filling out the concert is Per Arne Glorvigen, bandoneon in the Concerto for Bandoneon and Orchestra and mezzo-Soprano Silvia Tro Santafé in de Falla’s Three Cornered Hat.
Renowned as an expert interpreter and champion of bel canto opera and a specialist in French repertoire, Enrique Mazzola is in demand worldwide as both an operatic and symphonic conductor. He served as the Artistic & Music Director of the Orchestre National d’Île de France (from the 2012/13 season) and Principal Guest Conductor at Deutsche Oper Berlin (from the 2018/19 season). In October 2018, he was made a Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres reflecting his significant contribution to musical life in France.
Between 1999 and 2003, he was the Artistic & Music Director of the Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte in Montepulciano.
Mazzola will be joining the Lyric Opera as Music Director. He is replacing Sir Andrew Davis, who is leaving after the 2020-21 season.
Per Arne Glorvigen is a Norwegian musician and composer, particularly known as a bandoneon and tango player. He is mentioned as one of the world’s leading contemporary bandoneon players and “wizard of the buttons” (The Times).
He studied with Juan José Mosalini in France. In France he appeared with France Gall and Amelita Baltar. From 1994 he worked with Gidon Kremer and they formed the Astor-Quartet with Vadim Sakharov (piano) and Alois Pusch (double bass). With Kremer he recorded 4 CDs the first named “Hommage à Piazzolla.” Glorvigen has performed with BBC Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden and the Alban Berg Quartett. He has adapted organ music by J. S. Bach to the bandoneon.
Glorvigen was named Artist in Residence at the Bergen International Festival 2006. Henrik Hellstenius’ concerto for Glorvigen’s bandoneon Glorvigen first performed with Oslo Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra in 2008. Willem Jeths also dedicated a bandoneon concerto to Glorvigen.
Spanish Mezzo-soprano Silvia Tro Santafé has established a major reputation with audiences and leading opera houses over the world. Her repertoire ranges from the Baroque to the 21st century, but above all she is recognized as one of today’s finest exponents of Rossini and the Bel Canto. Over the last seasons her repertoire has extended to Bellini’s Adalgisa NORMA in Berlin and Brussels (“Silvia Tro Santafé fait merveille, elle évolue en souplesse sur toute la tessitura: l’aigu s’envole clair et tender et ses duos avec Edita Gruberova respirent d ‘une subtile harmonie d’inflexions communes ”Le Soir), Romeo CAPULETI at the Munich State Opera and Isoletta LA STRANIERA in Moscow. Her Donizetti repertoire includes Orsini LUCREZIA BORGIA, in Brussels, Munich and recorded with Edita Gruberova, Sara ROBERTO DEVEREUX, Giovanna Seymour ANNA BOLENA, and most recently Elisabetta MARIA STUARDA at the Opera Liceu in Barcelona (“Her interpretation grew through the performance, showing the hate, the evil of the character with a fearless passion ”El Pais).
Enjoy the concert.
