Les Arts brings together Piotr Beczańa, Violeta Urmana, Philippe Jaroussky, Simon Keenlyside and Ainhoa Arteta in its first Lied cycle

The Palau de les Arts brings together the most outstanding singers on the operatic scene for its first 'Lied' cycle, one of the main new features of the 2019-2020 Season. Tenor Piotr Beczača, mezzo-soprano Violeta Urmana, countertenor Philippe Jaroussky, baritone Simon Keenlyside and soprano Ainhoa Arteta are the stars of 'Les Arts és Lied'.

The arts center is scheduling five select sessions dedicated to this musical form, the 'Lied' - as well as its sister genres - which combines voice, poetry and piano, in the Main Hall, specially prepared for the occasion.

On October 20, the highly sought-after Piotr Beczača makes his debut at Les Arts with the first of the concerts. Known to the general public for his brilliant operatic career, particularly for his roles in works by Verdi, Puccini, and the French repertoire, Beczača is also distinguished by the elegance and versatility of his recitals.

Accompanied on the piano by Sarah Tysman, the Polish tenor offers a varied program to enjoy the flexibility and expressiveness that characterize his interpretations, with 'Lieder' and arias by Leoncavallo, Dvořák, Karřowicz, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninoff, Verdi, De Curtis, Tosti, Bixio, Massenet and Bizet.

Mezzo-soprano Violeta Urmana headlines the evening of November 17th. The Lithuanian singer is one of the most beloved voices among audiences at the opera house, where she has given memorable performances of 'Parsifal', 'Iphigénie en Tauride', 'Medea', and 'Don Carlo'.

On her return to the Main Hall, the Baltic diva sings 'Lieder' by Franz Schubert and Richard Strauss, with Helmut Deutsch at the piano, considered the most prestigious repertoire player today.

On January 12, Philippe Jaroussky, one of the most prominent voices in the operatic world, will visit the arts center for the first time. Audiences and critics alike recognize the French singer as the quintessential countertenor of his generation, both for his work in major theaters and festivals and for his recordings.

Currently, Jaroussky combines his career as a performer of Baroque repertoire with his burgeoning career as a lieder singer, which he presents at Les Arts. Accompanied on piano by Jérôme Ducros, the countertenor delves into the work of the great composer of this musical form, Franz Schubert, in the third session of 'Les Arts és Lied'.

Simon Keenlyside offers the fourth recital in the series. The British baritone is a renowned gentleman of the Lied, a genre in which he has over 30 years of experience performing in major concert halls and auditoriums around the world, along with an extensive discography.

Knighted by the UK for his services to music, a Kammersänger of the Vienna State Opera, and an ECHO Award winner for best male classical performer are just some of the accolades that appear on Keenlyside's extensive list of achievements. For his debut at Les Arts on February 1, the baritone has chosen a program featuring works by Schubert, Strauss, Fauré, and Wolf, with Caroline Dowdle as his vocal coach.

Ainhoa Arteta closes the first cycle that Les Arts has dedicated to song. The soprano, one of Spain's most prominent and media-savvy performers, gives special prominence to Spanish composers in her recital on April 26, accompanied by pianist Malcolm Martineau.

The Gipuzkoan diva, in her first performance in the Main Hall, will alternate pages by Eduard Toldrà, Xavier Montsalvatge, Frederic Mompou, Jesús Guridi and Tomás Garbizu with 'Lieder' by Ferenc Liszt and Richard Strauss.

Season tickets, passes and tickets

Les Arts informs that from September 19th, from 6:00 pm, through the website www.lesarts.com , and from the 20th onwards through the other usual channels, both tickets and non-renewable passes for the different proposals of the 2019-2020 Season can be purchased.

The 'Passe Lied-Grans Veus' includes each of the five offerings in 'Les Arts és Lied', plus the 'Les Arts és Grans Veus' session, which features an exclusive concert by American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, accompanied by the Il Pomo d'Oro orchestra and the rising conductor Maxim Emelyanychev, performing Baroque pieces. Prices for this pass range from €117 to €234.

Please note that the deadline to apply for a season ticket for the new season is September 13. The theater box office will be closed to the public from July 29 to September 1, but applications can be submitted during this time via email to abonos@www.lesarts.com .