Tenor Gregory Kunde plays Otello in the new production of Verdi's opera that opens the 6th Festival del Mediterrani
24.05.2013
The renowned American tenor has received the prestigious 2012 Abbiati Prize for his Otello at La Fenice in Venice
Valencia. The tenor Gregory Kunde plays Otello in the new production of Giuseppe Verdi's opera, which opens the VI Festival del Mediterrani on June 1st at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía.
With their addition, the Valencian arts center brings together three of the most sought-after Verdi interpreters of the moment in this production, under the direction of Zubin Mehta. They are joined by Italian soprano Maria Agresta (Desdemona) and baritone Carlos Álvarez from Málaga (Iago).
Davide Livermore is directing the operatic adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy, which will also be performed on the 5th, 11th, and 16th of this month. The Turin-based director is also responsible for the lighting and set design, in collaboration with Giò Forma Production Design. Lina Maria Fracasso is the costume designer, also in collaboration with Livermore.
Kunde is considered one of the most accomplished tenors on the current operatic scene, with an extensive résumé that includes performances in major theaters and concert halls worldwide, as well as a long and distinguished recording career. He recently received the 2012 Franco Abbiati Award for Best Singer for his Verdi interpretations, most notably his Otello at La Fenice in Venice. The Abbiati Awards are the highest distinction bestowed by Italian music critics.
He has worked with the leading conductors of today, including Colin Davis, John Eliot Gardiner, Riccardo Muti, Gianandrea Noseda and Simon Rattle, among others.
Renowned for his forays into the bel canto repertoire, Gregory Kunde is currently one of the most sought-after artists for his interpretations of Hector Berlioz and Giuseppe Verdi. He is one of the few tenors to have sung both Gioachino Rossini's and Verdi's Otello . Specifically, it was at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice in 2012 where he first sang Verdi's Otello, achieving great success.
