The Valencian Tourism Agency and Les Arts put music to the Silk Road with the opera 'Le cinesi', by Gluck

The Valencian Tourism Agency and Les Arts will inaugurate 'The Silk Road in Music' this Thursday, November 2nd, with a concert version of Christoph Willibald Gluck's opera 'Le cinesi' at the Auditori (8:00 pm). This initiative is part of the agreement signed between both institutions to promote and foster cultural tourism.

On this occasion, Fabio Biondi conducts the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana and a cast featuring leading figures of the repertoire: the Italian soprano Désirée Rancatore, the Swedish mezzo-soprano Ann Hallenberg, the Valencian mezzo-soprano Silvia Tro Santafé and the Italian tenor Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani.

'Le cinesi' is a one-act opera, with an Italian libretto by Pietro Metastasio, which premiered at the Schlosshof in Vienna on September 24, 1754. Conceived as a rococo caprice, it tells of an imaginary evening in a salon in faraway China, where its idle inhabitants play at love like Westerners.

The aim of the 'Silk Road in Music' project is to tell a story of culture and the encounter of worlds, with top-tier artistic offerings that explore the connection between East and West. The reason for programming this opera as a starting point, as explained by Davide Livermore, the artistic director and general manager of Les Arts, is not only for its artistic merit but also for its ability to capture and bring together two different worldviews through music.

For his part, the Regional Secretary for Tourism, Francesc Colomer, emphasized that “the launch of this project allows us to bring music to the Silk Road and is a great opportunity to promote ourselves through culture at both the national and international levels.” In this regard, he highlighted “the professionalism and stature of the Palau de les Arts as a global cultural landmark, which helps us position ourselves in key markets and increases our ability to attract tourists drawn by art and culture.” “Without a doubt, it represents the perfect combination of tourism and culture, an excellent blend to differentiate ourselves and secure our place in the world,” Colomer concluded.

The opera is set in an imaginary Chinese city. Lisinga is having tea with her friends Sivene and Tangia, unsure how to alleviate her boredom. Silango, Lisinga's brother, who has just returned from a trip to Europe and longs to see his beloved Sivene, overhears them behind the door, but the girls discover him. The three young women decide to hide him until he can leave unnoticed.

Meanwhile, they spend their time performing theatrical scenes inspired by Western tradition. Lisinga portrays a tragic scene, embodying Andromache from the Trojan War, mourning the death of her husband, Hector. Sivene then takes over, opting for a pastoral theme by playing the nymph Lycoris, who mocks the feelings of the shepherd Thyrsis, played by Silango. Finally, Tangia decides to portray a vain young woman who has just returned from Europe, in a clear parody of Silango. After these theatrical games, the protagonists join together in a ballet that concludes the opera.

This is the first opera that Fabio Biondi has conducted this season at Les Arts. According to the Palermitan maestro, 'Le cinesi' offers an opportunity to discover the work of Christoph Willibald Gluck beyond his 'Orfeo ed Euridice', since, in addition to its musical quality, "its duration – one hour – allows us to wake up wanting to hear perhaps a little more, something fundamental to fostering interest in a composer."

“It’s a small opera with an exceptional libretto that portrays how Europe expected to see a country as distant as China. Musically, the text, with its three theatrical evocations, allows Gluck to write a score in different directions, of which the romantic piece stands out as one of this composer’s most beautiful works,” adds the head of the OCV.

“Vocally,” Biondi continues, “there is a great difference between the female roles, a result of the specific dramaturgy of each character. For this, at Les Arts we have singers with distinctive vocal characteristics and recognized prestige in this repertoire, not forgetting the tenor role that was added later when the libretto was rewritten.”

Désirée Rancatore makes her debut at Les Arts in the role of Sivene. The singer is one of today's leading coloratura sopranos, with performances at London's Covent Garden, La Scala in Milan, the Vienna State Opera, and the Salzburg Festival, under the baton of conductors such as Fabio Biondi, Myung-Whun Chung, James Conlon, Charles Mackerras, Lorin Maazel, and Riccardo Muti.

Alongside her, Silvia Tro Santafé (Lisinga) takes on her fourth role at Les Arts, following her performances in Handel's 'Orlando,' Rossini's 'L'italiana in Algeri,' and Donizetti's 'Lucrezia Borgia.' The most internationally renowned Valencian mezzo-soprano has been recognized for her extensive repertoire, spanning from the Baroque era to the 21st century, and for her collaborations with leading conductors worldwide. Silvia Tro will return in July 2018 for her second appearance this season in Berlioz's 'La damnation de Faust,' conducted by Roberto Abbado.

Ann Hallenberg (Tangia) is also making her first appearance at the Valencian opera house. The Swedish mezzo-soprano is a regular in the casts of opera houses in Milan, Vienna, Paris, Munich, and Zurich, with over forty recordings to her credit and collaborations with Fabio Biondi, William Christie, John Eliot Gardiner, Emmanuelle Haïm, Paavo Järvi, Louis Langrée, Paul McCreesh, Marc Minkowski, Riccardo Muti, Kent Nagano, Roger Norrington, Antonio Pappano, and Christophe Rousset.

The cast is completed by Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani (Silango), an essential tenor for the great conductors of the baroque repertoire such as Fabio Biondi, Ottavio Dantone, Emmanuelle Haïm, René Jacobs or Marc Minkowski, who is also singing for the first time at Les Arts.

Streaming on Opera Vision

 The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía will stream the concert version of Christoph Willibald Gluck's 'Le cinesi' starting November 24th via www.OperaVision.eu , the new platform sponsored by Opera Europa, the association that brings together thirty opera companies from eighteen countries across the continent, including Les Arts. This initiative is also part of the agreement signed with the Valencian Tourism Agency to promote cultural activities that attract new tourist and visitor markets.

OperaVision takes over from The Opera Platform on October 12, which broadcast the Valencian production of 'Lucrezia Borgia' on April 1, also with the support of AVT.