program - HKUST Music Alive! - Hong Kong University of Science

PROGRAMME
Opera and Pop Culture
William Tell Overture by Rossini
Quando m’en vo’ from La Bohème by Puccini
Sandy Leung
Baroque and Castrato
Lascia ch’io pianga by Handel
Oriental
Un bel dì from Madama Butterfly by Puccini
Sandy Leung
Viva Mozart!
Voi che sapete from The Marriage of Figaro by
Mozart
Carol Lin
Nessun dorma from Turandot by Puccini
Chen Yong
Queen of the Night’s aria from Die Zauberfloete
by Mozart
Recitative and Aria
Deh, vieni from The Marriage of Figaro by
Mozart
Sandy Leung
Amor! Amor! Amor!
O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi by
Puccini
Sandy Leung
La Donna e’ mobile from Rigoletto by Verdi
Chen Yong
Bella figlia dell’amore from Rigoletto by Verdi
Barcarolle from The Tales of Hoffmann by
Offenbach
Sandy Leung & Carol Lin
O Soave Fanciulla from La Bohème by Puccini
Sandy Leung & Chen Yong
Flirtation
L’amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera) from
Carmen by Bizet
Carol Lin
Votre toast, je peux vous le render (Toreadon
Song) from Carmen by Bizet
Crossover
All I ask of You from The Phantom of the Opera
by Lloyd Webber
Sandy Leung & Chen Yong
The Prayer by David Foster
Carol Lin & Chen Yong
Time to Say Goodbye by Sartori
ALL
OPERA HONG KONG
Artistic Director: Warren Mok, MH
Opera Hong Kong is the first opera company to
have been established in Hong Kong. The
company was formed in July 2003 as a nonprofit organization. Since its inception, Opera
Hong Kong has become a firmly established part
of Hong Kong’s cultural scene.
Since our establishment, Opera Hong Kong has
gone from strength to strength under the
artistic direction of Warren Mok, MH, the
internationally acclaimed Hong Kong tenor,
with grand-scale productions of operas
including La Traviata, Turandot, Carmen, The
Marriage of Figaro, Roméo et Juliette, Aïda,
Werther, Don Carlo, The Magic Flute, Poet Li
Bai, Manon, La Bohème, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, The
Tales of Hoffmann and The Flying Dutchman.
Apart from operas, the company has also
presented the musical Jinsha, as well as
concerts, including Samson and Delilah, the
Yellow River Cantata and Opera Highlights,
Mozart Requiem and Favourite Arias, Liao
Changyong Recital, Denyce Graves Recital,
Opera Gala Concert, Musical Gala Concert,
Verdi’s Messa da Requiem, Ode to Beethoven,
Gong Dongjian Recital, Celebrity Fundraising
Concerts and Opera Hong Kong 10th Anniversary
Gala Concert; and Operas and Musicals for
Families, Opera Hong Kong Children Chorus
Annual Concert as part of the education and
outreach programme. Opera school tours,
summer schools and master classes are held
regularly to reach the young population. Opera
Hong Kong Chorus and Opera Hong Kong
Children Chorus were established in 2004 and
2008 respectively and are becoming recognized
forces in the local choral scene.
PERFORMERS
CAROL LIN 連皓忻
Carol Lin has recently won Third Place at the
Giovani Musicisti - Città di Treviso International
Music Competition in Treviso, Italy. She is also
the winner of both the First Prize and the Grand
Jury Prize at the 2011 Yokohama International
Music Competition. Since 2006, Lin has taken
principal mezzo-soprano roles from various
opera productions by local and international
opera companies including the title roles of
Carmen and Xerxes, La voix de la mere
d’Antonia (The Tales of Hoffmann), Rosina (The
Barber of Seville), Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier),
Cherubino (The Marriage of Figaro), Suzuki
(Madama Butterfly), and Stephano (Roméo et
Juliette). In January 2013, she performed as
Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana with high
acclaim to her dramatic characterization in both
singing and acting. Apart from opera, she has
been the featured soloists for many art-song
recitals, oratorio concerts and chamber music
performances by organizations such as Boston
Philharmonic Orchestra, Aspen Sinfonia,
Singapore Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong
Philharmonic, Hong Kong Sinfonietta and RTHK
Radio 4.
SANDY LEUNG 梁少瑩
Sandy Leung graduated at The Hong Kong
Academy for Performing Arts and has
performed leading roles including Anna in Le
Villi, Lucy in The Telephone, Mařenka in The
Bartered Bride, Adina in L’Elisir D’Amore,
Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Spirit in The
Magic Flute and understudied Flora in The Turn
of the Screw. She was awarded a scholarship
from the Royal College of Music and the Hong
Kong Jockey Club and continued her
postgraduate studies at the Royal College under
the tutelage of Elizabeth Robson.
CHEN YONG 陳永
Tenor Chen Yong is currently very active in the
Hong Kong classical music scene and becoming
known for his wit and passion in classical
singing for opera and art song. Chen sang as the
tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah with Hong
Kong Philharmonic (2013); Don José in Bizet’s
Carmen with Opera Hong Kong (2012); in the
40th annual Hong Kong Arts Festival 2012 as the
lead role in June Lovers (premier, 2012). He
graduated from the Vocal department of
Universität für Musik und Darstellender Kunst
Wien, studied with U. Prof. Franz Lukasovsky
with scholarship from Hong Kong. His excellence
earned a full scholarship to study for a master’s
degree in The Hong Kong Academy for
Performing Arts, under tutelage of Professor
Brian Montgomery.
SUEN TSZ HO FELIX 孫梓浩
Felix Suen joined the Opera Hong Kong Summer
Camp since 2008. He graduated from The Hong
Kong Baptist University (Bachelor, Piano
Performance) and the Guildhall School of Music
and Drama (Masters, Piano Accompaniment).
He is studying at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire
of Music and Dance (Postgraduate Artist
Diploma, Vocal Performance); and he is the
choral scholar at the Old Royal Naval College
Chapel. He performed in Japan, Italy and the
UK, in venues such as the Wigmore Hall and the
Royal Academy of Music in London. He was the
Assistant Repetiteur of the Hampstead Garden
Opera. Since his return in summer 2008, he has
coached over 20 opera and musical
productions. He performed in the RTHK, the
New Vision Arts Festival, and the University of
Hong Kong Concert Series. He was the Director
of the Hong Kong Baptist University Men's Choir
and the Music Director of the Hong Kong
University of Science and Technology Summer
musicals.
PROGRAMME NOTE
Voi che sapete from The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart
After Figaro has figured out the proposed arrangement of Marcellina with the Count, he immediately
comes up with a plan to get even, letting the Count suffer from the same cause of pain. The idea is to
seek help from the Countess, who will pretend to be dating her new lover behind the Count’s back.
Meanwhile, Cherubino, the Count’s servant, offers his help as well. As the Count has invited Susanna to
the garden, it is planned that the “Susanna” whom the Count will meet, is actually Cherubino in disguise.
Attracted by Countess’s elegance and beauty, Cherubino sings a love song to his mistress in the dressing
room. Being curious about love, he is interested to know more and is ready to share his understanding
of love through this song. (From Act 2)
Deh, vieni from The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart
The plot described above has not been carried out as planned. However, the Count has asked to meet
Susanna in the garden again. As Figaro has not been informed of this, he comes to doubt her fidelity. He
hides himself in the bushes, but is spotted by the Countess, who immediately tells Susanna of his
presence. Susanna is uncomfortable of his spying, feeling a lack of trust from her fiancé. To tease his
jealousy, she openly sings to an imagined lover, urging the unknown to come to her without delay.
(From Act 4)
O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi by Puccini
To a certain extent, the reputation of Giacomo Puccini's Gianni Schicchi lies in O mio babbino caro, an
aria well known not only to opera lovers, but also to the general public: pop music sopranos such as
Sarah Brightman, Charlotte Church, Lesley Garett sang it; the rock group East Village Opera Company
covered and transformed it into an R&B hit; films including James Ivory's A Room with a View and Sara
Sugarman's Very Annie Mary feature it. More still, the aria is used in the video game Grand Theft Auto:
3. At the age of 60, Puccini wrote Gianni Schicchi, a piece that is able to secure his fame as one of the
most unparalleled composers in history.
Barcarolle from The Tales of Hoffmann by Offenbach
Inspired by E.T.A. Hoffmann's short stories, Offenbach composed Les contes d’Hoffmann in the latest
period of his lifetime; unfortunately, it was left unfinished at his death in 1880, and was completed by
his friend Ernest Guiraud. Barcarolle, too, has its own story: it is argued that the duet was composed for
his Les Fees du Rhin as overture, but not for Les contes d’Hoffmann. Be this as it may, one thing is
certain; its aesthetic quality is always there.
O Soave Fanciulla from La Bohème by Puccini
Always regarded as an opera of realism, La Bohème depicts the lives and ideology of a group of talented
young bohemian artists sharing an attic in the Latin Quarter of Paris. Though living in poverty, they know
well enough how to find happiness. Although Rodolfo and Mimi has just met, they quickly fall in love
with each other. As they leave home, they find that the street is packed and stuffed with laughter and
joy – it is Christmas Eve! The two decide to join the others, celebrating Christmas arm in arm, singing of
their new-found love for each other.
L’amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera) from Carmen by Bizet
Having a legion of admirers, Carmen has a different view of the definition of love. She believes that love
has no absolute criterion, and that wealth, power and even passion are not necessarily a winning
formula. Instead, love is based on personal sentiment, for it is rather an irrational idea. The name refers
to a popular Cuban dance that was sweeping France at the time Bizet wrote the opera. It is really a
dance from Havana and not Spanish at all.
Près des remparts de Séville (Seguidilla) from Carmen by Bizet
The Séguedilla is Carmen’s attempt at seducing Don José by promising to take him to a more private
place where they can enjoy each other. Being gorgeous, and charmingly mysterious, Carmen wins the
soul of Don José, who has been blinded by love. This teasing song to Don José is from Act 1 of Carmen.
Quando m’en vo’ from La Bohème by Puccini
Musetta and Marcello were lovers who leaded a bohemian way of life in the past. Dining and drinking
with friends in a Parsian cafe, the painter encounters his former sweetheart Musetta, who is now
accompanied by a well-dress admirer. To reclaim Marcello's attention, Musetta sings Quando m'en vo
aloud, telling everyone in the cafe how her charm and beauty draw the attention of men on the
pathway, and how much she enjoys her new life. To her delight, Marcello is burning with jealousy. To
most opera fans, Quando m'en vo is one of the most enchanting waltzs in Classical music; to many
singers, it is a challeging tune with high dynamic range. If there is a song that opens the door to fine
music, this is one.
Un bel dì from Madama Butterfly by Puccini
The poetical lines of Un bel dì is crucial to the success of Madame Butterfly: "One good day, we will see /
Arising a strand of smoke / Over the far horizon on the sea / And then the ship appears / And then the
ship is white / It enters into the port, it rumbles its salute….A man, a little speck / Climbing the hill. /
Who is it? Who is it? / And as he arrives…He will call Butterfly from the distance / I without answering /
Stay hidden / A little to tease him…He will call, he will call / "Little one, dear wife"…All this will
happen…."
Nessun dorma from Turandot by Puccini
This aria is taken from Act 3, Scene 1, where a royal order has been passed to the
population of Beijing that no-one may sleep until Princess Turandot is told the name of
her anonymous admirer. Calaf, the admirer, believes that everything will be clarified
and victory will be his, upon the rising of the sun.
All I ask of You from The Phantom of the Opera
A disfigured musical genius known as "The Phantom of the Opera” haunts the opera
house and is obsessed by the beautiful soprano, Christine Daaé. He is heartbroken
when he overhears Christine and her childhood sweetheart, Raoul, singing this duet.
Con Te Partirò - Time to Say Goodbye by Sartori
Although Time to Say Goodbye is hardly a “typical classical tune” compared to
other pieces we have enjoyed tonight, its beautifully crafted melody makes
the Italian tune an all-time classic. Written by Francesco Sartori (music) and
Lucio Quarantotto (lyrics), the song was first sung by the ingenious Andrea
Bocelli in 1995, at the San Remo Festival, and is considered as the Italian's
signature song.