Juan Diego Flórez Debuts In Australia

Superstar tenor Juan Diego Flórez will make his Australian debut in three recitals taking in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra accompanied by pianist Cecile Restier who will perform several piano solos as part of the recital.

Juan Diego Flórez is one of the world’s greatest singers. Enjoying a distunguished operatic and recital career, he has an extensive discography and has performed in every major international opera house around the world. He has carved a niche as a specialist exponent of the bel canto and French Romantic repertoire. His many distinctions include Peru’s highest honour, the Gran Cruz de la Orden El Sol, and being recognised as a Kammersänger by the Austrian government in 2012.

Born in Lima, Peru, Flórez had success as the lead singer and songwriter of his own rock band, while also performing Peruvian folk music and pop. Growing up, he sung in a pub where his mother worked in the Barranco district of Lima.

In 2011, Flórez founded Sinfonía por el Perú, an inclusive social project that operates orchestras and choirs throughout Peru to help the most vulnerable children and adolescents through music. In recognition of the foundation’s work, he was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and received the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award.

Bookings

Melbourne: Thursday 2 November at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Hamer Hall,

Tuesday 7 November at Llewellyn Hall in Canberra.

The program (subject to change):

Gioachino Rossini “Deh, tu m’assisti amore”, from Il signor Bruschino/ “La speranza più soave”, from Semiramide/ Extract from “Péchés de vieillesse” (piano solo)

Gaetano Donizetti “Una furtiva lagrima”, from L’elisir d’amore/ “Tombe degli avi miei… Fra poco a me ricovero”, from Lucia di Lammermoor/ Waltz in A major (piano solo)

Vincenzo Bellini “O di Capellio, generosi amici… È serbato a questo acciaro… L’amo tanto e m’è sì cara”, from I Capuleti e i Montecchi

Édouard Lalo “Vainement, ma bien-aimée”, from Le Roi d’Ys

Charles Gounod “Ah! Lève-toi soleil”, from Roméo et Juliette

Georges Bizet Nocturne en D major (piano solo)

Giuseppe Verdi “Questa o quella”, from Rigoletto/ “Lunge da lei… De’ miei bollenti spiriti… O mio rimorso”, from La Traviata/
“Oh! Fede negar potessi… Quando le sere al placido… L’ara o l’avello”, from Luisa Miller

Ottorino Resphigi Intermezzo, from Re Enzo (arrangement for piano solo)

Giacomo Puccini “Che gelida manina”, from La bohème