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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Uninvited Guest

3 November, 1998 - 00:00

Olha Mykytenko refuted rumors of her being ill last Sunday and asked
her admirers' forgiveness for being unable to sing the role of Gilda in
Rigoletto at the National Opera as the management had canceled the
performance. Now the soloist is getting prepared for a tour of the United
States where she will sing the part.

Her previously scheduled appearance on the National stage promised to
be newsworthy. Recipient of the Maria Callas Grand Prix (awarded for the
first time in the past decade), following the February debut as Lucia,
she appeared on this stage only once, in the May concert dedicated to
La Scala soloist, the "baritone king", Renato Bruzon.

The young prima donna's creative biography lists appearances in numerous
festivals, concert tours in a number of countries, and three convincing
victories in international vocal contests. Regrettably, at home she is
often confronted with indifference, an approach that has become characteristic
of officialdom these days, the opera's management included (as evidenced
by Sunday's cancellation). The shower of bouquets from her devotees at
the entrance to the Opera House was weak consolation: the gifted singer
is helpless in the face of backstage administrative intrigues.

And her accomplishment overseas is self-evident: this December she will
be singing as Gilda in a season-opening premiere rendition of Verdi's opera
in a leading US operatic company. If all goes well, December 7 will see
her in a gala solo concert at the National Opera. Olha will give her admirers
a real Christmas gift, a new program of selected arias, quite a few of
which will be heard in Kyiv for the first time (e.g., inspired Italian
bel canto numbers from Verdi's earlier works that are very seldom
performed). Without doubt, this concert will be further evidence of her
unique dramatic soprano, a gift bestowed on a handful throughout vocal
history. Among her near future creative plans is the part of Marfa in Rimsky-Korsakov's
The Czar's Betrothed. Recently she cut a new disk with Ukrainian
romances in Holland, in addition to the previous album  of arias and
romances.

 

 

 

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