Win a ticket to see 'the finest Carmen in 25 years'

When speaking of opera singers active on the international stage, Elīna Garanča is a name that is often mentioned. With an exquisite voice and virtuosity in singing, the mezzo-soprano from Latvia is widely acclaimed for her performances at opera houses and concert halls around the world. Her portrayal of Carmen, the heroine in Bizet’s opera of the same name, was described as "the finest Carmen in 25 years" by the New York Times.

Elīna Garanča. Photos courtesy of the event organizer

Music lovers in Shenzhen will soon have a rare opportunity to admire her singing, including her interpretation of several songs from “Carmen,” during the closing concert of the 2024 Shenzhen Belt and Road International Music Festival. There, Garanča, conductor Karel Mark Chichon OBE, and the Macao Orchestra will provide listeners with a night of good music. The concert also commemorates the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to China. 

Garanča was born into a musical family in Riga, Latvia, and studied at the Latvian Academy of Music. She began her professional career as a resident artist with the Südthüringischer Staatstheater in Meiningen, where she took on many leading roles, and later became a resident artist with the Frankfurt Opera.

The cover of Garanča's album "Sol y Vida."

An exclusive artist with Deutsche Grammophon, Garanča has released many albums for the label. She has received numerous Echo Klassik awards, including “Singer of the Year” for her first non-core-classical album "Sol y Vida." Her accolades also include Musical America’s “Vocalist of the Year,” MIDEM’s “Singer of the Year,” a Grammy nomination, and the title of “Kammersängerin” (literally translated as “chamber singer”) by the Vienna State Opera in 2013 for her devotion to the opera house.

Karel Mark Chichon OBE.

Chichon has guest conducted widely across Europe, both in concert halls and opera houses. He is the chief conductor and artistic director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Gran Canaria, a post he has held since the 2017/18 season. His previous titled positions include chief conductor of the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken, chief conductor and artistic director of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, and chief conductor of the Graz Symphony Orchestra. He is a regular Deutsche Grammophon recording artist.

Chichon studied organ at London’s Royal Academy of Music and conducting at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna. In 2016, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in recognition of his achievements within the profession.

The Macao Orchestra. 

The Macao Orchestra, Macao’s professional orchestra, has a repertoire of Chinese and Western classics. Founded in 1983 as the Macao Chamber Orchestra by Father Áureo de Castro of the St. Pious X Academy of Music and a group of music lovers, it was expanded into an orchestra with double winds and renamed the Macao Orchestra in 2001. Today, it has developed into a small-to-medium-sized orchestra of around 50 outstanding musicians from more than 10 countries and regions, and it regularly collaborates with internationally renowned musicians, conductors, and ensembles.

EyeShenzhen and the Shenzhen Belt and Road International Music Festival will invite four readers to enjoy the concert for free! To participate, follow our official WeChat account, send us a private message with a screenshot of you sharing this article on your WeChat Moments, and leave a comment on this article to let us know you are interested in attending the concert. The four readers picked by EyeShenzhen will each receive a ticket.

Time: 8 p.m., Oct. 30

Tickets: 80-880 yuan

Duration: approximately 100 minutes, with a 20-minute intermission

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (深圳音乐厅演奏大厅)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D

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A poster for the concert.