Artist Of The Week: Krassimira Stoyanova To Bring ‘Lucrezia Borgia’ To Life At Salzburg Festival
By Francisco SalazarIt’s the final week of the Salzburg Festival, but before it concludes “Lucrezia Borgia” will open in two concert performances with a stellar cast that includes Juan Diego Flórez and Ildar Abdrazaov with Marco Armiliato conducting. But it is Krassimira Stoyanova that headlines the performances in the title role and forays once again into the Bel Canto repertoire.
Throughout her career Stoyanova has been known for her work in the Verismo, Verdi, and Strauss, portraying some of the most iconic roles and creating stunning and memorable interpretations. She has also been known for sticking to the score as she noted in a recent interview with OperaWire. And perhaps that is what makes her work so unique and touching.
With “Lucrezia Borgia,” Stoyanova returns to the Bel Canto repertoire after her acclaimed work in Donizetti’s “Anna Bolena,” a role she has dominated since 2003 and one that she performed in New York and Vienna. When she first took on Anna Bolena in a concert performance she received raves with critics noting “her legato singing was touching, [filling] Donizetti’s long lines with an emotion-soaked voice.” Since then the Bulgarian soprano has grown as an artist and become a dramatic force. Lucrezia Borgia is known as one of the most difficult Bel Canto roles for its vocal range and coloratura runs. It is also known for its complex and sometimes unlikable heroine. As a result, Stoyanova will get a chance to show her virtuosic and dramatic power as well as her beautiful vocal quality. As a singer who works to find the composer’s intentions, it will be interesting is to see which ending she picks to finalize the work.
If audiences are unable to see Stoyanova as Lucrezia, there will be another chance to see her in Bel Canto as she will perform Rossini’s “Stabat Mater” at the Chicago Symphony Center. Stoyanova will also return to some of her signature roles including “Aida,” “Ariadne Auf Naxos,” “Rusalka,” “Der Rosenkavalier” and “Simon Boccanegra.” And Stoyanova will also bring the Verdi Requiem to Metropolitan Opera audiences.