2003   Baltsa, Cura
Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Italy
Travel  1: February 22-24 Hamburg
2003-02-22 Eugen Onegin (Tsjaikovskij), Hamburgische Staatsoper
Tatiana = Danielle Halbwachs, soprano
Eugen Onegin = Jean-Luc Chaignaud, baritone
Lenski = Piotr Beczala, tenor
2003-02-23 Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni), Hamburgische Staatsoper
José Cura, conductor
Santuzza = Ildiko Komlosi, mezzo
Turriddu = Kristjan Johansson, tenor
2003-02-23 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo), Hamburgische Staatsoper
Canio = José Cura, tenor
Nedda  = Hellen Kwon, soprano
Tonio = Ko Seng Hyoun, baritone
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Travel  2: March 11-18 Vienna, Zurich
2003-03-11 La Favorite (Donizetti), Wiener Staatsoper
Léonor de Guzman = Violeta Urmana, mezzo
Fernand = Giuseppe Sabbatini, tenor
Alphonse XI = Carlos Alvarez, baritone
2003-03-12 Don Carlo (Verdi), Opernhaus Zurich
Don Carlos = José Cura, tenor
Elisabeth de Valois = Elena Prokina, soprano
Eboli = Luciana d'Intino, mezzo
2003-03-14 Don Carlo (Verdi), Opernhaus Zurich
Don Carlos = José Cura, tenor
Elisabeth de Valois = Elena Prokina, soprano
Eboli = Luciana d'Intino, mezzo
2003-03-17 Tosca (Puccini), Wiener Staatsoper
Mario Cavaradossi = José Cura, tenor
Floria Tosca = Isabelle Kabatu, soprano
Baron Scarpia = Franz Grundheber, baritone
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2003-04-25 Operagalla (Opera Nordfjord), Sogndal kulturhus
Cecilia Lindwall, soprano
Trine Øien, mezzo
Jørgen Talle, tenor
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Travel  3: May 10-12 (SAS, Zurich)
2003-05-10 L'Italiana in Algeri (Rossini), Opernhaus Zürich
Isabella = Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Lindoro = Luigi Petroni, tenor
Mustafa = Carlo Lepore, bass
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Travel  4: June  26 - July 1 Vienna, Verona
2003-06-27 Carmen (Bizet), Wiener Staatsoper
Carmen = Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Don José = Julian Gavin, tenor
Escamillo = Ildar Abdrazakov, baritone
2003-06-28 Turandot (Puccini), Arena di Verona
Calaf = José Cura, tenor
Turandot = Giovanna Casolla, soprano
Liù = Micaela Carosi, soprano
2003-06-30 Carmen (Bizet), Wiener Staatsoper
Carmen = Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Don José = Julian Gavin, tenor
Escamillo = Ildar Abdrazakov, baritone
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Travel  5: July 25 - August 1 Munich, Verona
2003-07-25 Opera Concert, Gasteig Munich
José Cura, tenor & conductor
Tullio Gagliardo, conductor
2003-07-27 Aida (Verdi), Arena di Verona
Aida = Micaela Carosi, soprano
Radames = Piero Giuliacci, tenor
Amneris = Larissa Diadkova, mezzo
2003-07-29 Carmen (Bizet), Arena di Verona
Don José = José Cura, tenor
Carmen = Marina Domashenko, mezzo
Escamillo = Samuel Ramey, bass
2003-07-31 La Traviata (Verdi), Arena di Verona
Alfredo Germont = José Cura, tenor
Violetta Valéry = Angela Gheorghiu, soprano
Giorgio Germont = Ambrogio Maestri, baritone
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2003-08-23  Carmen (Bizet), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)
Carmen = Marina Domashenko, mezzo
Don José = Torsten Kerl, tenor
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Travel  6: September 19-23 Vienna
2003-09-19 Herodiade (Massenet), Wiener Staatsoper
Herodiade = Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Jean = José Cura, tenor
Salomé = Barbara Haveman, soprano
2003-09-20 Il Barbiere in Siviglia (Rossini), Wiener Staatsoper
Almaviva = Juan Diego Florez, tenor
Rosina = Enkelejda Shkosa, mezzo
2003-09-22 Herodiade (Massenet), Wiener Staatsoper
Herodiade = Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Jean = José Cura, tenor
Salomé = Barbara Haveman, soprano
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OperaDuets Travel  2003
February; first time I saw Jose Cura conduct an opera, the Cavalleria Rusticana,
he sang Canio in Pagliacci after conducting it. Impressive.

March; for the first time did I see Jose Cura as Don Carlo, wonderful. Less wonderful did I find him in Tosca (I had just broken my arm at this point). Lovely La Favorita...

April; opera concert in Sogndal. NICE...special...

May; Agnes Baltsa as Isabella in the new Italiana production in Zurich.

June; two Carmen with Baltsa in Vienna, and first time in Verona for me, Turandot with Jose Cura, wonderful...

July; more Cura, wonderful opera concert in Munich and two operas in Verona. Fantastic!!

August; Carmen in Oslo with my parents. A birthday gift for my father who had his birthday when I saw Carmen in Verona.

September; two wonderful Herodiades in Vienna with Cura and Agnes Baltsa. And a Barbiere with Juan Diego Florez.

November; I had to cancel my tour to Switzerland to see Jose Cura as Alfredo in Zurich's production of La Traviata. SAD!!!!