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Unforgettable evening with Ángeles Blancas and Alejandro Roy at the Teatro de la Zarzuela's New Year's Eve Concert
January 9th, 2025 |
After the splendid New Year's Concert, starring Ángeles Blancas and Alejandro Roy at the Teatro de la Zarzuela on January 4th, the specialized press has highlighted the outstanding work of both soloists.
Codalario magazine devotes an extensive section in which it highlights the following:
"In the realm of solos, soprano Ángeles Blancas used her full expressive arsenal in service of a voice that now exhibits distinctly dark hues, a strong personality, and notable technical prowess. [...] Her voice, from the lower register to the high notes, appears to possess commendable homogeneity. [...] we were treated to high-note conclusions brimming with vocal intensity. [...] the soprano showcased her uniquely individual voice as a diva / artist, reveling in the variety of dynamics and expressive rallentandi. [...] tenor Alejandro Roy, currently in excellent vocal form, displayed a straightforward, rounded spinto voice with overwhelming power, with no room for hesitation—quite the opposite: his singing was bold throughout, culminating in a powerful and electrifying high note."
For its part, Ópera Actual magazine delved into the successes of the repertoire performed by both artists:
“The pages of greatest expressive complexity generally fell to soprano Ángeles Blancas, [...] unsurprisingly, the result was excellent: her expansive and secure voice endowed her arias with full dramatism, as in 'Sierras de Granada' from La tempranica, without lacking nuance and, where needed, pianissimos and delicately spun tones, as demonstrated in the aria from La marchenera. [...] Alejandro Roy, for his part, took on some of the most popular repertoire, particularly the two jotas from El trust de los tenorios and La Dolores, as well as more challenging pieces, such as the Asturian song 'Xuanón' by Moreno Torroba, which, like the Hungarian song from Alma de Dios, requires clean attacks and flawless intonation. His high notes were remarkable, such as the finale of the Hungarian song from Alma de Dios. With his commanding, imposing instrument, Roy extracted every ounce of potential from these pieces, all while avoiding any populist shortcuts—a testament to his superb bel canto schooling.”
Scherzo magazine detailed the technical and artistic achievements of both performers:
“Blancas [...] has excellent communication skills, great acting abilities, and a deep musicality. We still recall her magnificent Sacristana in Janáček's Jenůfa. [...] Roy [...] remains in very fine form: a wide tessitura, balanced projection, full and electrifying high notes, vibrant and commanding—in the vein of Del Monaco or Corelli. [...] Solid breath support, remarkable intonation [...] rounded and resonant tones. The almost baritonal quality of his voice at times resounded freely, with no issues in the upper register. And the tessitura was challenging. Capped off with a pure high A natural. Following this, Blancas gave a passionate and authentic performance of 'Sierras de Granada' from La tempranica by Giménez [...] She brought extraordinary energy to the petenera 'Tres horas antes del día' from La marchenera by Moreno Torroba, with beautifully connected phrasing.”
Finally, Nueva Tribuna praised not only their individual qualities but also the exceptional blend of the two artists in the duets they performed:
“With commanding stage presence, Alejandro conveys the essence of each composer’s creations through his unparalleled vocal power. His robust vocality, combined with his unique interpretive nuances, demonstrates why he is one of the most acclaimed and respected Spanish artists on the international stage. [...] Soprano Ángeles Blancas, with her characteristic talent, delivered sublime and deeply heartfelt renditions of pieces such as 'Sierras de Granada,' 'Pensando en el que la quiere,' 'Tres horas antes del día,' and 'Alto el carro, señores.' [...] Her performance moved audiences, with selections from works such as La tempranica, El carro del sol, La marchenera, and Me llaman la presumida. With her voice’s unique dramatic and vocal qualities, Ángeles has graced stages around the globe, culminating in her receiving the Ópera XXI Award for Best Soprano in 2023. [...] The duet moment shared by Ángeles Blancas and Alejandro Roy was truly an epic display of musical intelligence. The harmonious convergence of all elements—chorus, orchestra, conductor—combined with the vocal brilliance of the tenor and soprano, seemed to summon Apollo, the god of music, to Madrid to applaud this concert.”
Codalario magazine devotes an extensive section in which it highlights the following:
"In the realm of solos, soprano Ángeles Blancas used her full expressive arsenal in service of a voice that now exhibits distinctly dark hues, a strong personality, and notable technical prowess. [...] Her voice, from the lower register to the high notes, appears to possess commendable homogeneity. [...] we were treated to high-note conclusions brimming with vocal intensity. [...] the soprano showcased her uniquely individual voice as a diva / artist, reveling in the variety of dynamics and expressive rallentandi. [...] tenor Alejandro Roy, currently in excellent vocal form, displayed a straightforward, rounded spinto voice with overwhelming power, with no room for hesitation—quite the opposite: his singing was bold throughout, culminating in a powerful and electrifying high note."
For its part, Ópera Actual magazine delved into the successes of the repertoire performed by both artists:
“The pages of greatest expressive complexity generally fell to soprano Ángeles Blancas, [...] unsurprisingly, the result was excellent: her expansive and secure voice endowed her arias with full dramatism, as in 'Sierras de Granada' from La tempranica, without lacking nuance and, where needed, pianissimos and delicately spun tones, as demonstrated in the aria from La marchenera. [...] Alejandro Roy, for his part, took on some of the most popular repertoire, particularly the two jotas from El trust de los tenorios and La Dolores, as well as more challenging pieces, such as the Asturian song 'Xuanón' by Moreno Torroba, which, like the Hungarian song from Alma de Dios, requires clean attacks and flawless intonation. His high notes were remarkable, such as the finale of the Hungarian song from Alma de Dios. With his commanding, imposing instrument, Roy extracted every ounce of potential from these pieces, all while avoiding any populist shortcuts—a testament to his superb bel canto schooling.”
Scherzo magazine detailed the technical and artistic achievements of both performers:
“Blancas [...] has excellent communication skills, great acting abilities, and a deep musicality. We still recall her magnificent Sacristana in Janáček's Jenůfa. [...] Roy [...] remains in very fine form: a wide tessitura, balanced projection, full and electrifying high notes, vibrant and commanding—in the vein of Del Monaco or Corelli. [...] Solid breath support, remarkable intonation [...] rounded and resonant tones. The almost baritonal quality of his voice at times resounded freely, with no issues in the upper register. And the tessitura was challenging. Capped off with a pure high A natural. Following this, Blancas gave a passionate and authentic performance of 'Sierras de Granada' from La tempranica by Giménez [...] She brought extraordinary energy to the petenera 'Tres horas antes del día' from La marchenera by Moreno Torroba, with beautifully connected phrasing.”
Finally, Nueva Tribuna praised not only their individual qualities but also the exceptional blend of the two artists in the duets they performed:
“With commanding stage presence, Alejandro conveys the essence of each composer’s creations through his unparalleled vocal power. His robust vocality, combined with his unique interpretive nuances, demonstrates why he is one of the most acclaimed and respected Spanish artists on the international stage. [...] Soprano Ángeles Blancas, with her characteristic talent, delivered sublime and deeply heartfelt renditions of pieces such as 'Sierras de Granada,' 'Pensando en el que la quiere,' 'Tres horas antes del día,' and 'Alto el carro, señores.' [...] Her performance moved audiences, with selections from works such as La tempranica, El carro del sol, La marchenera, and Me llaman la presumida. With her voice’s unique dramatic and vocal qualities, Ángeles has graced stages around the globe, culminating in her receiving the Ópera XXI Award for Best Soprano in 2023. [...] The duet moment shared by Ángeles Blancas and Alejandro Roy was truly an epic display of musical intelligence. The harmonious convergence of all elements—chorus, orchestra, conductor—combined with the vocal brilliance of the tenor and soprano, seemed to summon Apollo, the god of music, to Madrid to applaud this concert.”
