"Charles Castronovo's Italian Songbook"
Singer Charles Castronovo returns to Los Angeles to say ‘thank you’ to the Opera Buffs – the organization that recognized his talent first – with a special recital for opera lovers throughout Southern California
Our Review of Charles Castronovo's Italian Songbook:
"Bravo to Charles for an extraordinary performance. For anyone with Italian heritage it was a performance of a lifetime. With great skill and range he presented to us a grand program of famous arias and Neapolitan songs. He was accompanied by an impressive 5 piece musical ensemble which included a mandolin and accordion which are rarely heard these days. The evening might have been better placed in an Italian night club or Neapolitan courtyard but the magnificent acoustics of the Colburn School's Zipper Hall were perfect. Charles is currently performing to excellent reviews as Mario in the LA Opera's World Premiere of 'Il Postino'
One can only hope that Charles cuts a CD of these of Italian songs that he performs so well and takes this show on the road. Not only can he sing but you can tell he is an opera star as he displays great passion and conviction as he energetically takes us thought the program. The projected still photographs that accompanied many of the songs were touching and contributed to this majesty of the evening. If there is ever another performance like this from Charles, you will want to be there. I will be ! "- Performing Arts LIVE
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Today, tenor Charles Castronovo is one of the most renowned singers of his generation, performing around the world at such august venues as the New York Metropolitan Opera, Opera National de Paris, Staatsoper Berlin, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. But here in Los Angeles, one group of opera aficionados recognized Castronovo’s artistry long before all the others: the Opera Buffs, an all-volunteer organization dedicated to supporting emerging singers.
Fifteen years later, Castronovo will once again perform for the Opera Buffs, when he presents “Charles Castronovo’s Italian Songbook” on Saturday, September 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Colburn School’s Zipper Hall in Los Angeles. All proceeds raised by the event, which is open to the public, will benefit the roster of deserving young singers nurtured and mentored by the group.
“There are so few organizations like the Opera Buffs, that help a young singer to focus on their development and art,” says Castronovo, who appeared as a Resident Artist with LA Opera and will return to Los Angeles for the company’s World Premiere of Daniel Catán’s Il Postino, opening September 23. “To have had this support so early in my career has been a great help. Now, to have the chance to give a little back by singing this concert of beautiful Italian songs is almost like receiving a second gift from the Buffs!”
“The Opera Buffs provides funding and performance opportunities for young artists in Southern California,” adds David Alan Gibb, President of the Opera Buffs, Inc. “The younger the singer, the more difficult it is to identify career potential. But there was no question about the capabilities of the young Charles Castronovo! He has more than fulfilled all early expectation. We’re delighted that he has generously offered to sing for us and that music lovers throughout our community will be able to experience his artistry, at this stage of his career, in such an intimate setting.”
Those who attend “Charles Castronovo’s Italian Songbook” will hear the tenor perform his favorite Neapolitan, Sicilian and other Italian songs, as well as arias from his extensive repertoire. “Charles grew up with many of these songs,” says Gibb. “He heard them sung at home by his father. This, of course, will make the evening even more special and meaningful.”
By no means, however is Castronovo, who performed at Opera Buffs’ Showcase concerts in 1995 and 1996, the only acclaimed singer to have been mentored by the organization. Since 1983, hundreds of artists – including Brian Asawa, Richard Bernstein, Michelle DeYoung, Greg Fedderly, Sandra Radvanovsky and Deborah Voight – have benefited in the early stages of their careers from the Buffs’ financial and moral support.
“The Opera Buffs provides funding for career-related expenses based on current talent and career potential,” explains Gibb. “We play a very unique and invaluable role in the opera community -- fulfilling a niche generally not served by opera companies, competitions and music schools.”
As Castronovo experienced, the organization also provides young singers with the opportunity to gain paid performance experience. The Opera Buffs’ Fall Showcase –“Rivalry, Romance and Revenge” – will take place on Sunday, October 31, at 2:30 p.m. at Thayer Hall at the Colburn School in Los Angeles.
The Honorary Committee for the “Charles Castronovo’s Italian Songbook” gala includes tenor Placido Domingo, soprano Marilyn Horne, and soprano Martina Arroyo, winner of the National Endowment for the Arts’ 2010 Opera Honors Award.
Tickets for the event are $100/person. To order, call 818.248.3391 or email barbaramrkl@yahoo.com. For more information about the Opera Buffs, visit its website, www.operabuffs.org. The Colburn School is located at 200 South Grand Avenue in Los Angeles.
The Opera Buffs, Inc. believes that, of all musical instruments, the human voice is the most sublime and that helping the exceptionally talented artist reach the operatic stage is a mission worthy of its utmost effort and full dedication.
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ABOUT CHARLES CASTRONOVO
Tenor Charles Castronovo was born in New York City. Since the start of his professional career, he has sung with many of the world’s important opera companies and symphonic organizations.
Mr. Castronovo’s first professional engagements were with the Los Angeles Opera (as a resident artist) where he gained experience performing over one hundred performances of various supporting roles. Upon leaving Los Angeles, he was accepted into the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, where he made his debut singing the role of Beppe in I Pagliacci with Placido Domingo on the opening night of the 1999-2000 season. Mr. Castronovo later recorded the same role with Decca on the 2000 release of I Pagliacci with Jose Cura, conducted by Riccardo Chailly. From there, he went on to make a series of important role debuts as Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) and Ernesto (Don Pasquale) with the Boston Lyric Opera, and Fenton (Falstaff) with the Pittsburgh Opera.
European engagements soon followed with concert performances of Rossini’s Stabat Mater in Köln, and later singing Fenton with (Paris Opera, Toulouse and Brussels), Don Ottavio at (Berlin Staatsoper with Daniel Barenboim), Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte (Royal Opera Covent Garden, Opera Monte Carlo & Berlin Staatsoper), Tamino in Die Zauberflöte (Vienna Staatsopera, Paris Opera), Nemorino in L’ elisir d’ Amore (Berlin Staatsoper, Vienna Staatsoper with Anna Netrebko), and Alfredo in La Traviata (Royal Opera Covent Garden, Berlin Staatsoper & Teatro Carlo Felice Genova).
Some recent engagements include the title role in Faust (Pittsburgh Opera), Rodolfo in La Bohème (Detroit Opera), Nadir in Les pêcheur de Perles (San Francisco Opera), Belmonte in Die Enthührung aus dem Serail (Salzburg Festival), Nemorino (Paris Opera), Il Duca in Rigoletto (Bordeaux), Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress (Royal Opera Covent Garden), Don Ottavio (San Francisco Opera & Los Angeles Opera), Mylio in Le Roi d’Ys (Toulouse), Alfredo (Royal Opera, Covent Garden), Elvino in La Sonnambula (Detroit Opera) and Nadir (San Diego Opera & Washington National Opera).
Mr. Castronovo’s concert work includes the tenor soloist in Rossini’s Stabat Mater in London with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, led by Mark Elder, Berlioz' Requiem with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by Pierre Boulez, concert performances of Kurt Weill’s Street Scene with the New York Philharmonic, and an opera gala concert with the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducted by Kent Nagano which was later released on DVD. His recording of the title role in La Clemenza di Tito with Vessilina Kasarova, can be heard on the RCA Red Seal label. Additionally, he appears singing the tenor solo in Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Opus 111 label and also in a performance of Belmonte in Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail, live from the 2006 Salzburg Festival, released by Decca.
Presenter / Producer: Opera Buffs
Listed Categories
Music > Opera
Event Phone: 818-248-3391
Venue
Zipper Hall at the Colburn School
200 South Grand
Los Angeles CA 90012
Regions:
LA - Central / Downtown
Performance Dates: 9/25/2010
Performance Times7:30 p.m.
Ticket Information:$100/person
Call 818.248.3391 or email barbaramrkl@yahoo.com.
Websites:Event Information