Artist Of The Week: Michael Fabiano To Fill Aix-En-Provence Festival With Intensity As He Debuts Don José In ‘Carmen’

By Francisco Salazar

Ten years ago Michael Fabiano announced himself as one of the most promising tenors of his generation. The tenor was competing for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and was also part of the class that was filmed in the movie “The Audition.” His strength and intensity and his strong stage presence made him a sensation with the judges and he ended being one of the five winners.

Since then his star has risen.

This week the tenor takes a new step in his career as he interprets his first Don José in “Carmen” at the Aix-en-Provence Festival. It is a new step as the tenor has mostly dominated the Italian repertoire with few French roles. However, Don José is not only a role that is associated with many spinto tenors, but it is also known for its heavy musical passages. It is also a part that tenors relish because of the opportunities for acting.  Fabiano fits all the bills for this role as he is a passionate singer with a lot of intensity and his immense voice resonates throughout any hall riveting any audience. This should easily make his role debut a huge triumph.

Fabiano has become recognized for his work with Verdi and Bel Canto as he has mastered the roles of the Duke in “Rigoletto,” Alfredo in Laa Traviata” as well as Edgardo in “Lucia di Lammermoor.” He has also brought to life lesser known works such as “Poliuto,” “Lucrezia Borgia,” “Luisa Miller,” “I Due Foscari’ and “Il Corsaro.” His repertoire also includes “Don Carlo” and “Faust.”

This upcoming season Fabiano has a number of important assignments including opening night in “La Bohème” at the Royal Opera House and a starry revival of the same Puccini classic at the Metropolitan Opera. He also sings his first Des Grieux in “Manon” and also sings the Duke in “Rigoletto at the Royal Opera House. His work at the Royal Opera House and the Met’s “Bohème” will be brought to cinemas making his presence even greater around the world.

Outside of his work as a singer, Fabiano is one of the founders of ArtSmart, a non-profit organization that provides free voice lessons to students in public schools in under-served neighborhoods within the U.S. He is also the winner of the 2014 Beverly Sills Artist Award and the 2014 Richard Tucker Award and became the first singer to win both awards in the same year.

 

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