From the moment he sang the first notes of Verdi's aria "Di' tu se fedele," Polish tenor Piotr Beczala enchanted the audience at the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) with his powerful voice.
The opera superstar made his debut in Oman accompanied by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra and Russian maestro Guerassim Voronkov. The programme featured romantic 19th century opera and operetta arias and overtures which showcased Beczala's immense talents.
Beczala's is a voice that immediately captivates one's attention, rich, warm and strong. Singing from the depth of his belly, he let it soar throughout the theatre, creating a sound so big that it seemed almost superhuman. With each aria the excitement seemed to grow and there was an eagerness and anticipation to hear him hit those huge, high notes which he approaches with a bold fearlessness. It's a voice that so impressed the audience they cheered him after the first song, and continued to cheer after each aria he sang, which included a mix of Giuseppe Verdi, Antonin Dvorak, Charles Gounod, Franz Lehar, Emmerich Kalman and Richard Tauber.
Beczala's charm wasn't just in his stunning voice, but his stage presence, too. Though he was dressed in a classic tailed tuxedo, he was able to transform himself into the different characters, such as the lovestruck Romeo, or Prince from Rusalka searching for a mysterious water nymph. Beczala has the ability to make one forget about the darker realities of life, especially at a time when the news is so full of conflicts, and bring them to a more beautiful world.
Conductor Guerassim Voronkov was also a treat. His frizzy white Einstein-like hair bounced in tune with the music, which he seemed to fully embody, letting notes drop from his arms or pop energetically from his shoulders. His love of the music was infectious, not just inspiring the musicians but also bringing smiles to the faces of the concert-goers.
The Czech National Symphony Orchestra was also wonderful, playing a number of high-energy, dramatic pieces. While Beczala was clearly the star of the night, the orchestra brought a special spark to much of the music, playing with great enthusiasm. From their opening piece, the overture from Verdi's Nabucco, they displayed a colourful, lively approach to playing which added to the appeal of the concert.
Sadly, the audience was rather small, but despite the poor attendance Beczala, Voronkov and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra performed with the utmost passion and earned very loud applauses and cheers.
Beczala's charm wasn't just in his stunning voice, but his stage presence, too. Though he was dressed in a classic tailed tuxedo, he was able to transform himself into the different characters, such as the lovestruck Romeo, or Prince from Rusalka searching for a mysterious water nymph. Beczala has the ability to make one forget about the darker realities of life, especially at a time when the news is so full of conflicts, and bring them to a more beautiful world.
Conductor Guerassim Voronkov was also a treat. His frizzy white Einstein-like hair bounced in tune with the music, which he seemed to fully embody, letting notes drop from his arms or pop energetically from his shoulders. His love of the music was infectious, not just inspiring the musicians but also bringing smiles to the faces of the concert-goers.
The Czech National Symphony Orchestra was also wonderful, playing a number of high-energy, dramatic pieces. While Beczala was clearly the star of the night, the orchestra brought a special spark to much of the music, playing with great enthusiasm. From their opening piece, the overture from Verdi's Nabucco, they displayed a colourful, lively approach to playing which added to the appeal of the concert.
Sadly, the audience was rather small, but despite the poor attendance Beczala, Voronkov and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra performed with the utmost passion and earned very loud applauses and cheers.
