The 2016 - 2017 concert season sponsored by Algarve History Association began on Sunday, September 11th with a recital of twenty Songs from the Heart, given by two young Algarvian singers.
Beatriz Miranda (pictured below) from Faro and Andrés Feliu from Tavira (ably supported by American pianist/conductor Tyler Catlin) sang a variety of classics for an enthusiastic audience.
It is clear from the sheer power and beauty of her voice that Beatriz is destined for stardom. She was also able to express emotion with her actions, her diction was clear and her emotional and heartfelt rendition of Voi che sapete was greeted with great enthusiasm.
One concert-goer likened the tenor of Andrés to the young Pavarotti, and his interpretation of Hahn´s L´heure exquise was full of colour and feeling. There is no doubt that he has power in his voice, and he will be a commanding performer when he manages better the fortíssimo and pianíssimo of his repertoire.
All three performers are in their early 20s, and Beatriz is about to realise her dream of studying in London, while Andrés and Tyler head off to continue their studies in Los Angeles. Irene Ainstein of the Regional Conservatory is the former teacher of Beatriz Miranda and both these young Algarvians are former pupils of the Conservatory.
Members of the Algarve History Association look forward to assessing the progress of these outstanding young singers next year.
Beatriz Miranda
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At the Cine-Teatro in Loulé, the Finnish opera singer Olga Heikkilä entranced her audience with a selection of arias on the theme of man's relationship with, and often poor treatment of, women taken from the operas of Mozart, Puccini and Verdi among others.
A singer of the new generation, Olga Heikkilä's soprano rightly has been described as mellifluous and elegant, while her interpretative skills have received high praise internationally.
At 'A night of Italian Opera,' the Portuguese and English introductions to each aria allowed non-Portuguese speakers fully to understand the chosen pieces and their places within the broader theme.
The piano accompaniment from Irene Ainstein helped in great part to present a professional, entertaining and informative evening's cultural entertainment.
Certainly, the standing ovation at the end of the set - and a welcome encore - showed the high regard for classical opera in the Algarve and the delight of Olga Heikkilä (pictured below) in performing for an appreciative local audience.
