Saturday Night Opera Fever
By Marta Opacak

Everyone who has had the precious opportunity of listening to the City of Buenos Aires Symphony Orchestra knows the exquisite quality of its performance. Each interpretation leaves an everlasting impression in our memory, which is rooted in its wide and prestigious path. The Grand Lyrical Gala held last June 16, at the “Auditorio Belgrano” in a full attendance presentation was no exception to the rule.
Conducted by Maestro Enrique Roel, the Orchestra dazzled the audience with an impeccable execution and unsurpassed moments of high artistic worth, achieved through a first-rate opera program that included fragments of “The Barber of Seville” by Rossini, “Norma” by Bellini, “Lucia Di Lammermoor” by Donizetti, “Carmen” by Bizet, “Tosca” by Puccini, “The Tales of Hoffman” by Offenbach, and certainly, the richest works by Verdi, namely “Aida”, "Macbeth", "Rigoletto", "La Traviata", and "Nabucco."
Worth of special mention is the performance of all soloists in the Rigoletto Quartet, the emotive and beautiful interpretation of The Barcarolle from Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffman by the Mezzo-soprano Alicia Cecotti, and Soprano Haydeé Debusti, as well as “Celeste Aida” interpreted by Antonio Grieco. However, special mention should also be made of Baritone Leonardo López Linares, who clearly stood out due to his expressivity, his great scenic presence and the dramatic musicality of his register, in a natural passage from the mischievous Figaro in “Dunque io son” to the vindictive Enrico, Lucia’s brother in “Cruda, funesta smania” and “La pietade in suo favore”, not to mention his talented interpretation of the tormented Macbeth in “Pieta, rispeto, amore”. All in all, an outstanding performance which the audience thanked with a standing ovation.
A huge show closing was led by the University of Buenos Aires Law School Choir, which enlightened an already captivated audience with “Va pensiero” in Nabucco Opera and the motivating “Traviata brindis”. By then, everything was a huge party, with the all artists on stage, encouraging the receptive audience to a rhythmic hand clapping, conducted by Maestro Roel, in an unforgettable Saturday night opera fever, which was a genuine pleasure to attend.