ROCAMADOUR FESTIVAL - FRANCE
Programm
David Alagna « Non, je ne suis pas un impie » Le dernier jour d’un condamné
Fromental Halevy (1799 – 1862) « Rachel quand du seigneur » La Juive
Giuseppe Verdi (1813 – 1901) prélude de La Traviata
Jules Massenet (1842 – 1912) « Ô souverain, ô juge » Le Cid
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921) « Vois ma misère » Samson et Dalila
Jacques Offenbach (1819 – 1880) « Entr’acte » Les Contes d’Hoffmann
Charles Gounod (1818 – 1893) « Ah ! Lève-toi soleil ! » Roméo et Juliette
César Franck (1822 – 1890) Panis angelicus
Franz Schubert (1797 – 1828) Ave Maria
Felix Mendelssohn (1809 – 1847) Ouverture de Paulus
Jean-Félix Lalanne (b. 1962) Seigneur, ne me laisse pas
Jean-Félix Lalanne « Madone au cœur d’or » La source
Samuel Barber (1910 – 1981) Adagio
Jean-Félix Lalanne Sans être à Aimer
David Alagna (b. 1975) Libertà
Performance
Rocamadour Festival
15th of augustt 2024
Cast
Roberto Alagna - Ténor
Consuelo Orchestra
Conductor - Victor Julien-Laferrière
Press Review
Cult.News - Helène Biard - 16 aout 2024
❝ A striking appearance of Roberto Alagna in great form and closely connected to his audience … A success gathering 2000 people in the Alzou valley … An interesting, varied program free of unnecessary showmanship … The tenor delivered an exceptional performance, and the audience responded with enthusiastic applause ❞
« The renowned French tenor Roberto Alagna made a striking appearance at the Rocamadour Sacred Music Festival. The event was a success, with 2000 people gathering in the Alzou valley at the foot of the medieval city to welcome the tenor. The program put together by the French-Sicilian tenor was all the more interesting because it was varied and free of unnecessary showmanship.
Clearly in great form and delighted to be in Rocamadour, Roberto Alagna crafted a program in two parts: one featuring opera arias and the other sacred music. […] The evening began with an excerpt from *The Last Day of a Condemned Man*, composed by David Alagna for his brother. The tessitura of "Je ne suis pas un impie" is very demanding, but Roberto Alagna skillfully handled his instrument, performing with flair; the condemned man's desperate prayer soared effortlessly into the vast prairie. However, it was *La Juive* by Fromental Halévy that truly captured the audience's attention; with "Rachel, quand du Seigneur," Alagna genuinely embraced the festival's theme and delivered the aria with full intensity. [...] Alagna clearly enjoyed singing this excerpt from Halévy's masterpiece. Another essential piece among prayers composed by the great names of music history was "Ô Souverain, Ô Juge" from *Le Cid* by Jules Massenet. Rodrigue's desperate prayer, believing he has lost everything, was perfectly conveyed by Roberto Alagna, who knows Massenet's masterpiece well, having performed it on numerous occasions. With "Vois ma misère" from *Samson and Delilah* by Camille Saint-Saëns and "Ah! Lève-toi soleil" from *Romeo and Juliet* by Charles Gounod, Alagna brilliantly concluded a near-perfect operatic first half. [...]
After the intermission, the atmosphere became more mystical as the recital moved to its sacred section. Roberto Alagna, still in top form and closely connected to his audience, began this part with César Franck's *Panis Angelicus*, which he performed with a beautiful simplicity. However, it was when he sang Schubert's *Ave Maria*, dedicated to Mary "our Mother to all," according to the tenor, that he dedicated this sublime prayer to […] "a mother who passed away recently," without naming her; the emotion, more palpable at this precise moment of the recital, enveloped an ever-attentive audience. Roberto Alagna, who never shies away from a bit of crossover, performed three pieces adapted from the musical *Al Capone* by Jean-Félix Lalanne (*Seigneur ne me laisse pas*, *Madonne au cœur d’or*, and *Sans être à Aimer*). Roberto Alagna paid as much attention to these three beautiful prayers as to the ones that preceded them. With *Libertà*, composed by David Alagna, the official program came to a splendid close. [...]
On this warm Thursday evening, Roberto Alagna delivered an exceptional performance, and the audience responded with enthusiastic applause. Clearly moved by the warm reception and in no hurry to leave, the French tenor granted three encores, for two of which he composed the music himself: *Sognare* and *Notre Père*. As for *Bella Ciao*, Roberto Alagna evidently could not resist the temptation to perform this universal hit. »
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