Special guest star of the 11 October 2020 Masquerade was internationally renowned soprano Andrea Rost. Her exclusive aria recital was streamed live from the Sándor Hevesi Stage of the Eiffel Art Studios from 8:00 p.m. on Facebook and Origo.hu.
Hungarian and international audiences have been following the career of Andrea Rost for thirty years. She was still a student when she made her debut at the Opera in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette. Soon her international career also began, first in Vienna, then La Scala in Milan. Later her name was featured on playbills from Salzburg and London to the New York Metropolitan, and she has appeared on stages of the Far East as well. In her recital, beside the tragic heroines of Puccini, Gounod and Leoncavallo, she performed her iconic Mozartian roles. One of her guests was Zsolt Haja, Chamber Singer of the 2019/20 season, the surprise guest was once again a young talent, Xénia Sárközi. The show directed by Andrea Kováts was hosted by Szilveszter Ókovács, featured on the piano was Pálma Hidegkuti.
Programme:
Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro – the Countess's aria from Act 1 ("Porgi, amor, qualche ristoro")
Gounod: Faust – Air des bijoux from Act Three ("Ah! Je ris de me voir si belle")
Puccini: Madama Butterfly – Cio-cio-san's aria from Act 2 ("Un bel di vedremo")
Mozart: Idomeneo – Ilia's aria from Act 1 („Padre germani, addio!'') – performed by Xénia Sárközi
Mozart: Die Zauberflöte – Papageno's aria from Act 1 ("Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja") – performed by Zsolt Haja
Puccini: Tosca – Tosca's prayer from Act 2 ("Vissi d’arte")
Leoncavallo: Pagliacci – Bird Song ("Qual fiamma avea nel guardo!... Stridono lassù")
Mozart: Die Zauberflöte – Pamina and Papageno's duet from Act 1 ("Bei Männern welche Liebe fühlen") – featuring Zsolt Haja
The performance can be seen HERE.