Opera stars sing on largest open-air venue in Athens
By Laman Ismayilova
Opera stars Yusif Eyvazov and Anna Netrebko have performed at Panathinaikos Stadium, known as the largest open-air venue in Athens.
The concert featuring world-class stars was organized by the Greek National Opera, which resumed its activities after a long break amid coronavirus pandemic.
This year the event was timed to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the world premiere of Giuseppe Verdi's opera Aida, which took place on December 24, 1871 in Cairo.
The Verdi gala aroused great interest among opera lovers. The concert was accompanied by the Greek National Opera Orchestra under the baton of the French conductor Philippe Augin. Arias from such operas by Verdi as "Aida", "Troubadour", "Rigoletto", "Othello" and others were performed at the concert.
Three large LED screens were installed, and 10 thousand pillows were specially made for the audience, who were seated taking into account social distance.
Known for his beautiful voice, Yusif Eyvazov is a regular guest at the world’s leading opera houses. His name is included in the book "The Best Tenors of the World".
The unique sound of his voice and his vibrant stage presence allow him to combine an active opera career with numerous concert performances.
The opera singer has appeared on numerous recordings for Deutsche Grammophon including a complete recording of Puccini’s "Manon Lescaut" live from the Salzburg Festival and with his spouse, soprano Anna Netrebko’s on the cross-over album "Romanza".
In 2017, Yusif Eyvazov was awarded the title of People’s Artist of Azerbaijan.
Anna Netrebko is one of the prominent opera singers of Russia in the 21st century.
She has been identified by the journal Musical America as "a genuine superstar for the 21st century" and was named 'Musician of the Year' in 2008.
The Russian operatic soprano was awarded the State Prize of the Russian Federation. Time magazine placed her on its Time 100 list in 2007.
Netrebko was named the best singer in 2017 at the International Opera Awards in London. In July 2017, Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko took the lead in the list of Russian top-earning musicians, according to Forbes Magazine.
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