Polish music journalist and opera critic Jacek Marczyński (Rzeczpospolita, Onet Kultura) prepared recently the top 10 list of Polish opera singers and their export successes in 2018 for Onet Kultura:
https://kultura.onet.pl/muzyka/wywiady-i-artykuly/alfabet-polskiej-opery-polacy-w-wielkim-swiecie/y4yd8qxThe unquestionable number 1 is tenor Piotr Beczała, who ended excellent 2018 year with the New Year's Eve Gala at The Metropolitan Opera and entered the new year 2019 with a brand new production. "Adriana Lecouvreur" on the 12th of January was broadcasted under the series "The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD" to more than 2,200 cinemas in over 70 countries around the world and has already been hailed as the event of the opera season. And Piotr Beczała receives very enthusiastic reviews, even from Anthony Tomassini himself, the chief opera critic of The New York Times. During his performances in New York, Beczała was also the special guest of the Wagner Society of New York on January 13. And on January 25, he lead open vocal workshops for young singers at the Carnegie Hall.
Also number 2 from the Marczyński's list, Aleksandra Kurzak soprano, already this month returned to the stage of The Met, in the company of her husband Roberto Alagna, where they appear together in Bizet's "Carmen". This Saturday, on February 2, „Carmen” will also be shown on cinemas around the world as part of the series "The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD". In Poland, this cycle is presented by nazywowkinach.pl.
The number 3 of the list, drawn up for Onet Kultura, is Tomasz Konieczny bass-baritone, was awarded on January 16, after the performance of „Siegfried” by Richard Wagner at the Vienna State Opera, the title "Österreichischer Kammersänger", which is the highest distinction in the world of German-language vocal art. The title was awarded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture for his contribution to the artistic development of native opera and culture. Konieczny has been associated with the Vienna State Opera since 2008. He appeared there in 21 vocal parts, in over 160 performances of 17 different pieces. And on March 9, he will make his debut on the stage of The Metropolitan Opera in New York as Alberich in Wagner's "Das Rheingold".
Also Natalia Rubiś soprano started a New Year with signing a management contract for North America theritory with the prestigious New York agency Barrett Artists.
Congratulations!
Photo: Vincent Peters/Met Opera
Anna Netrebko and Piotr Beczała in "Adriana Lecouvreur".