衛武營國家藝術文化中心 National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying)

By CHIAO Yuan-Pu

In late 2009, a number of British and American classical music magazines and critics chose mezzo-soprano Joyce DIDONATO as their person of the year. As a result, many Taiwanese music lovers wanted to know what all the fuss was about. I, however, was not surprised at all, because I had been lucky enough to witness the reason that July, when she played the female lead in the London Royal Opera House's production of ROSSINI's The Barber of Seville. After singing the famous aria "Una voce poco fa" on the night of the premiere, she slipped and fractured her ankle. Who would have thought she would actually "break a leg" during the show!

Even more surprisingly, the show went on! Despite the searing pain, she completed the entire performance, supported by a crutch. The other performers responded with like dexterity. For instance, superstar tenor and male lead Juan Diego FLOREZ at one point lent her a hand of support to ensure she could finish her song. During the following performances, she sang from a wheelchair, as can be seen in the DVDs. No matter how you look at it, that series of performances is amazing and legendary. Such resolution and strength on the part of DIDONATO earned her both massive respect from audiences and her title as artist of the year.

That incident was a blessing in disguise. Two years before, she had performed at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York and had also had major roles in operas in the US and Europe, but The Barber of Seville gave her name a deserving boost to superstar status. Though she is generally a mezzo-soprano, strictly speaking, her voice is actually closer to that of a soprano. She has what it takes for light, quick coloratura singing and has put on especially outstanding performances of Baroque, classical, and bel canto singing while steadily expanding into more dramatic roles. She possesses a keen understanding of recording too, using it to present music in a way that differs from live shows, such as with more expressiveness and intense variety in mood. With her masterly skill, the recordings brim with dramatic flair. Her painstakingly designed albums and concerts are one of a kind in form and remain in communication with the new generation in opera.

In fact, communication is one of her greatest strengths. What should musicians be doing today, in the 21st century? As an iconic performer, DIDONATO has a strong appeal that allows her to organize highly creative concerts and recording projects (such as Diva, Divo and Drama Queens), and some echo the times. Her album In War and Peace, released in November 2016, was a response to the suicide bomb attack in Paris a year before, and it showed that Baroque and classical music can indeed express a contemporary spirit and interact with our times. The album evolved into a well-received concert, which came to Taiwan in 2019 and made such an impression that members of the audience likely still remember it as if it happened just yesterday. 

A concert can be a form of communication with society, and it can also be a means of education. DIDONATO's Master Classes at Carnegie Hall, which began in 2015, are the best example of that. They are a wonderful experience whether or not you have learned how to sing or are a musician, because their appeal goes beyond singing instruction as they cause people to contemplate art and life. She may have quite a name for herself, but it has by no means come easily. When she was at the Houston Grand Opera, her instructor said she had a problem with her technique, and she spent a while correcting it. But by the age of 29, she still had not found an agent, and no one looked any more favorably on her even though she had tested into the Houston Grand Opera. Far from keeping her down, these frustrations pushed her to excel. As a result of her history, she is especially moved and inspired by what the younger generation and her audiences have to say about her performances. With such tempering, it should come as no surprise that she had the strength to complete that premiere of The Barber of Seville despite the pain.

This year, for her second trip to Taiwan, she will come to Weiwuying and bring us Eden, her latest work, which is not only sure to be exceptional but also inspirational in many ways. I hope Taiwan's music lovers will seize this precious opportunity to connect with the world and not miss a brilliant show!

  Program  

6/6(Thu)19:30
►Joyce DiDONATO – EDEN