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Master Class
Luis Alva (tenor)
2009 Summer Music Festival
Masterclass for Opera Singing
Luis Alva (tenor)
Born in (home of other noted lyric tenors such as Ernesto Palacio and Juan Diego Florez), where he studied with Rosa Mercedes Ayarza de Morales, he made his debut in Federico Moreno Torroba's zarzuela Luisa Fernanda. He went to Milan in 1953 and studies with Emilio Ghirardini later he was called from Giulio Comfallonieri to became a "cadet" at the Scuola di Canto (Voice Academy) at La Scala. In Italy he made his European debut at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan as Alfredo in Verdi's La traviata, following that with his in la Piccola Scala in Cimarosa's Il Matrimonio Segreto. His debut in Teatro alla Scala was in 1956 as Count Almaviva in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia. He was soon invited to sing at the most important European festivals and opera houses. At Glyndebourne, he made his debut as Nemorino in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore. His Metropolitan Opera debut was in 1964 as Fenton in Verdi's Falstaff . Subsequently he sang with most of the leading companies in US and Europe.
In 1960s and 1970s there were few singers, let alone tenors, who could compare in sheer vocal elegance with Luigi Alva. Unlike so many, he never tried to venture out of his natural repertoire. Instead, he delivered Mozart, Rossini, and Donizetti with great elegance and style for four decades. He cooperated with conductors like Otto Klemperer, Claudio Abbado, Nino Sanzogno, Herbert von Karajan and Carlo Maria Giulini. His duets with Teresa Berganza in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia and La Cenerentola are the hallmarks of the epoch.
In 1982, he returned to Lima to teach and left the stage in 1989. He sponsors the Luigi Alva Competition for young singers and gives master classes. Alva now teaches singing at the La Scuola di Canto (Voice Academy) at La Scala in Milan.
Interpretations
Rossini:
Il Conte d'Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia (1956, 1957, 1962, 1964, 1968, 1971)
Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola (1968, 1971, 1976, 1978)
Lindoro in L'italiana in Algeri (1963, 1975)
Mozart:
Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni (1959, 1960, 1973)
Ferrando in Così fan tutte (1956, 1957, 1971)
Alessandro in Il re pastore (1967)
Haydn:
Lindoro in La fedeltà premiata (1975)
Ecclittico in Il mondo della luna (1977)
Gernando in L'isola disabitata (1977)
Cimarosa:
Paolino in Il matrimonio segreto (1956)
Filandro in Le astuzie femminili (1959)
Leoncavallo:
Beppe in Pagliacci (1954)
Puccini:
Venditore di canzonette in Il tabarro (1954)
Verdi:
Fenton in Falstaff (1956, 1957, 1963)
Schubert:
Alfonso in Alfonso und Estrella (1956)
Donizetti:
Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore 1958
Handel:
Oronte in Alcina (1962)
Gounod:
Siebel in Faust (1967)
Scarlatti:
Roberto in Griselda (1970)
Filmography
Falstaff (1956) Fenton
Così fan tutte (1970), Ferrando
Il barbiere di Siviglia (1972), Count Almaviva
Don Pasquale (1972), Ernesto
Lo speziale (1982), Sempronio
Teacher : Luis Alva (tenor)
Pianists accompanist : Inseon Lee, Yeami Ra
Period : 13-18 July 2009
Ending date for applications : 27th of June 2009
Place :Convento di S. Antonio dei Cappuccini - Lugnano in Teverina (Terni)
Final Concert : Saturday 18 July h. 21.30
Chiesa di S. Francesco Lugnano in Teverina (Terni)
Attention: The Academy reserves the right to reverse or postpone masterclass which doesn't reach the minimum number of students necessary, providing for refound the entire amount of the tuition fee and possible deposit to anybody who has the right to.
For more information download the regulation [zip file, ITA / ENG]
Download the Application Form [zip file, ITA]
Apply filling the online form
