Operakafé - Fransk og forførende

About the Concert

Experience magnificent French duets featuring tenor and mezzo-soprano. Each duet centers around a strong female character doing her utmost to seduce the tenor! We will hear duets from Carmen (Bizet), Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns), and Les Troyens (Berlioz), as well as arias in French, Italian, and Norwegian/Danish.

Performers:

Christian Damsgaard, tenor

Lucia Cervoni, mezzo-soprano

Stefan Ibsen Zlatanos, piano

Performers' Background

Lucia Cervoni The Canadian mezzo-soprano studied at the Manhattan School of Music, where she received numerous awards, including the Hugh Ross Award and Anna Case Mackay Grant from Santa Fe Opera. She was part of the Seattle Opera's Young Artists Programme, performing roles such as Mrs. Grose in The Turn of the Screw and Carmen in Peter Brook's The Tragedy of Carmen. Recent engagements include Carmen with Kitchener Waterloo Symphony and various roles across Europe, including Suzuki in Madama Butterfly at Den Jyske Opera and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier. She has a rich concert repertoire, having performed with numerous symphonies and festivals.

Christian Damsgaard Known for his warm and flexible tenor voice, Christian specializes in opera roles with strong characterizations. He has received acclaim for his performance in Carl Nielsen's Maskarade and has sung under prominent conductors. Noteworthy roles include Goro in Madama Butterfly and Jennaro in J.P.E. Hartmann's Raven. He will be featured in upcoming productions at the Royal Danish Theatre and Aarhus Summer Opera. He has a background in musicology and rhetoric from Aarhus University, continuously refining his technique.

Stefan Zlatanos Ibsen Stefan has an extensive career, performing across Europe and the USA. He has worked at the Norwegian Academy of Music and has premiered several works by Marcus Paus. He has toured with the production Operahistorien på 60 minutter and is involved in various projects, including arranging for Ketil Bjørnstad's opera Flagstad The Opera. He is also active as a conductor and musical director in several productions.