He is a Polish-born tenor Piotr Beczała. Although Mr.
Beczała made his MET debut two years ago, he has been making waves on opera stages worldwide since his unexpected substitution in Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor" at the MET last year. With a great voice and natural acting ability, he might just be the next opera superstar.
In a Feb. 2009 issue of the New York Daily News, the writer says:
"I am reminded of this whenever I hear the potential "successors" to Luciano sing. Something prevents them from singing with the fluidity and openness that were part (but only part) of his singing style. As a result their singing does not sound natural and lacks emotional force None of that happens with Beczała."
So, could Beczała be the "next Luciano Pavarotti'? You decide.
Hear his voice in the video player on the right and
listen to the exclusive WCPO interview with Beczała, which followed just after his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut October 5, 2009. The audio interview lasts approximately 17 minutes (.mp3).
Excerpts from Charles Gounod's Faust video courtesy: Lyric Opera of Chicago
Pictures by Kurt Pinter, Vienna and Bettina Stoess, Berlin.
Piotr Beczała Interview
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO PIOTR'S RESPONSES TO THE QUESTIONS BELOW
- You have been in the opera spotlight, at least in the US, since your last-minute substitution at the MET in Donizetti/Lucia di Lammermoor in October 2008. You had a similar event in Baden-Baden in last July. Do you consider it a stroke of luck? How would you describe those incredible experiences? Are you surprised?
- Those are wonderful moments indeed. Many great careers started in the same fashion, so congratulations on your debut with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The first reviews are in and they are fantastic. Many critics praised you for your smooth and stylish singing, gleaming brilliance, robust and attractive sound. They also point out that you are a fine actor. How did you prepare for the role of Faust in this production?
- We are not too far from Chicago, certainly not too far to see the history in the making. How would you encourage our Cincinnati audience to see 'Faust?' What’s special about this production?
- Let’s talk for a moment about the future of classical music. We’ve seen recent HD broadcast from the MET and the Digital Concert Hall from the Berlin Philharmonic. What do you think of the relevance of the classical music and especially opera as a dramatic form today? Why should we care? How to keep it exciting, current and fresh, especially for the younger generation?
- It is interesting to hear that you seem to enjoy more traditional productions, in their natural setting.
- We’ve admired Enrico Carusso, Franco Corelli, Alfredo Kraus, Luciano Pavarotti. They are all legends. Many people have made very encouraging comments about your singing talent, comparing you to other opera superstars. How do you handle this pressure?
- Also on the other hand, we can recall Elena Souliotis and more recently Charlotte Church, as well as other great singers, whose careers were short-lived due to perhaps unwisely taking on certain demanding roles too early. How do you prevent yourself from falling a victim to the same trap?
- Your repertoire is extensive and complex, from Mozart to Strauss. Once, you were described as an ideal interpreter of Strauss’s "Songs for Tenor with Orchestra". Where do you feel the most comfortable? Is it in the concert hall on the opera stage?
- What are you working on? What’s in your near future?
