Star-Studded Gala Concert celebrates the Georg Solti Accademia in October in Budapest!

The Georg Solti Accademia is proud to announce its 20th anniversary celebration, marking two decades of excellence in training young talent in the technique and style of Italian “Bel Canto”, and continuing the operatic legacy of the legendary British/Hungarian conductor Sir Georg Solti.

Mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina, tenor Freddie De Tommaso, soprano Hera Hyesang Park, and baritone Paul Grant, all of whom are also alumni of the Georg Solti Accademia’s Bel Canto Course for Singers, will perform in this concert on October 20th, 2024, co-produced with the Hungarian State Opera (featuring their orchestra and conductor) and supported by the Accademia’s principal supporter – Rolex.

This is the first time, and potentially the only time in their careers, when all four of these singers will perform together. They are coming together for this concert in Budapest to celebrate the Accademia’s achievements over its two decades in existence, and the special role that this programme has had in their artistic development and careers.

Photo: Press Release/Hungarian State Opera.

The Georg Solti Accademia – A Training Programme for Exceptional Aspiring Opera Singers & Repetiteurs

Over the past two decades, the Georg Solti Accademia has grown into one of the most important and invaluable training grounds for emerging opera singers and répétiteurs [the pianists, vocal coaches, and conductors that work on opera productions].

Led by Jonathan Papp (Artistic Director, Principal Vocal Coach, & Founder), Candice Wood (Executive Director & Founder), and Jonathan Lakeland (Associate Director), the Georg Solti Accademia’s 400-plus alumni have thriving – and often stellar – careers in the music profession. Guest faculty past and present at the Accademia include some of the most revered musicians in the world, including: Richard Bonynge, Angela Gheorghiu, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Federica Von Stade, Carlo Rizzi, Leo Nucci, Sir Thomas Allen, and Jose Carreras, among many others.

Founded in 2004 by the late Lady Valerie Solti, Candice Wood, and Jonathan Papp, the Georg Solti Accademia fulfils a long held dream that Georg Solti had to create a training programme for outstanding young musicians based in Italy.

“I hope that Sir Georg would be very excited to see that there is an institution in his name that is aimed at achieving the highest levels and is giving exceptional help from some of the best faculty in the world,” says Jonathan Papp.

The Accademia runs its annual “Bel Canto Course for Singers” in the Tuscan seaside town of Castiglione Della Pescaia, where the Solti family have a home, and its spring “Solti-Peretti Répétieur Course” at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice.

Importantly, the Georg Solti Accademia offers full scholarships (covering tuition and accommodation costs) to all of its students.

In addition to its annual courses in Italy, the Accademia has long standing relationships with major organisations internationally, and has presented masterclasses & concerts at Juilliard, Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Center, Wigmore Hall, and the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. In the summer of 2024, the Accademia presented its Bel Canto Course for Singers in Seoul, produced in partnership with the Seoul Arts Center.

Collaboration with the Hungarian State Opera & Relationship with Solti

The event is made even more significant by the fact that it is being co-produced with the Hungarian State Opera, which recently celebrated its 140th anniversary. This extraordinary opera house has a special connection with Maestro Georg Solti, who began his professional musical career there as a repetiteur. He made his conducting debut at the house leading a performance of Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” on March 11, 1938.

“Before Lady Solti passed away she had always dreamed of the Accademia establishing a relationship with the Hungarian State Opera, seeing its poignant connection to the life and achievements of Maestro Solti,” says Candice Wood.

Hungarian State Opera House. Photo: FB

“We could not be more thrilled to present this concert in collaboration with the house, and to celebrate the achievements of the Accademia, as well as the Solti legacy, through this performance. We hope that this may be the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship with the opera, and with Hungary’s other wonderful performing arts organisations.

UNESCO Designation for “Bel Canto”

In December 2023, UNESCO officially recognised Italian “Bel Canto” (the focal point of the Accademia’s “Bel Canto Course for Singers”) as an item of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, celebrating the rich tradition and cultural significance of this art form. Italian “Bel Canto” is a term which describes the Italian opera style, vocal technique, and repertoire from approximately 1810 through to the early 20th century.

The Georg Solti Accademia remains the only institution of its kind dedicated towards furthering training of Italian “Bel Canto” style, repertoire, and vocal technique, and utilising this music as a pedagogical tool for vocal training. This prestigious designation highlights the importance of the Georg Solti Accademia’s work in preserving and promoting this singing for future generations.

About Bel Canto, Jonathan Papp says, “The fundamental importance of Bel Canto Singing, and how it underpins any good opera singing, cannot be overstated. Studying this style and technique sets you up to sing any repertoire in any language, and provides you with a healthy foundation that ensures longevity in your career.”

Live Broadcast – To be seen & heard by audiences around the world

Noting the significance of this moment to classical music audiences around the world, the Accademia is producing a live broadcast of this concert in collaboration with Decca and Deutsche Grammophon, who will broadcast this concert live on their Stage+ platform. Plans are also in place for the programme to be broadcast elsewhere around the globe in the months following the concert.

“This concert broadcast is an opportunity to share Aigul, Freddie, Hera, and Paul’s extraordinary talents with the world,” says Jonathan Lakeland, who is the Associate Director of the Accademia, and is producing this broadcast for the organisation.

“At the Accademia, we really believe in the importance of helping our students and alumni develop artistry and careers that are in-line with the reality of the opera world of today. This broadcast is an opportunity to help some of our alumni further develop their careers, while also raising awareness for the work of the Accademia. We want the audience at home to feel immersed in the feeling of this evening in Budapest, and be moved by the performances of these extraordinary musicians, while also feeling more connected to their story, and the story of the Georg Solti Accademia.”

Masterclass at the Liszt Academy of Music

As a part of the 20th Anniversary celebration, the Accademia will be presenting a masterclass led by its artistic director Jonathan Papp, with some of the guest artists joining as guest teachers.

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