La forza del destino

Stanislav Vorobyov is a native of Russia and studied at the Moscow Conservatory. He was a member of the International Opera Studio and has been part of the ensemble at Zurich Opera House since the 2018/19 season. In Zurich, he has appeared in roles such as Colline (“La bohème”), Alidoro (“La Cenerentola”), High Priest (“Nabucco”), Notary (“Der Rosenkavalier”), Reinmar von Zweter (“Tannhäuser”), Faust (“The Fiery Angel”), Zaretsky (“Eugene Onegin”), Cesare Angelotti (“Tosca”), Fifth Jew and First Nazarene (“Salome”), Lord Rochefort (“Anna Bolena”), Doctor Grenvil (“La traviata”), Crébillon (“La rondine”), and Zuniga (“Carmen”), as well as Roberto (“I vespri siciliani”), Roucher (“Andrea Chénier”), and the Police Commissioner (“Der Rosenkavalier”). He also sang Don Basilio (“Il barbiere di Siviglia”) at the Bregenz Festival, Nourabad (“Les Pêcheurs de perles”) at Opera Vlaanderen and in Luxembourg, and Ombra di Nino (“Semiramide”) at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. At the Bregenz Festival, he also appeared as Uncle Bonzo in “Madama Butterfly” and as Il capitano/L’ispettore in Umberto Giordano’s “Siberia.” In 2024, he was additionally heard as Colline (“La bohème”) at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre and ROHM Theatre Kyoto.

Anna Netrebko, born in Krasnodar (Russia), studied voice at the St. Petersburg Conservatory and completed the Merola Opera Program in San Francisco. Her repertoire ranges from Mozart to bel canto (including Bellini’s “La sonnambula” and Donizetti’s “Anna Bolena”), French opera (Massenet’s “Manon” and Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette”), Verdi (from “La traviata” and “Aida” to “Macbeth”), Puccini (from “La bohème” to “Turandot”), verismo (“Andrea Chénier” and “Adriana Lecouvreur”), Tchaikovsky (from “Iolanta” to “Eugene Onegin”), and Wagner’s “Lohengrin.” She regularly takes center stage in productions at the world’s leading opera houses and also performs in numerous concerts and recitals across five continents. Highlights of her career include appearances in opening productions at Teatro alla Scala in Milan and the Metropolitan Opera in New York, as well as her performance as a soloist at the Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Since 2003, she has been an exclusive artist with Deutsche Grammophon. Among her many awards and distinctions are three Grammy Award nominations, the German Bambi, and the titles of “Singer of the Year” (2007) and “Artist of the Year” (2008) at the Classical Brit Awards. As a mother, she is also actively involved in various organizations she has supported for many years, advocating for disadvantaged children. Most recently, Anna Netrebko has appeared as Leonora (“La forza del destino”) at La Scala in Milan, as Tosca in Rome and London, as Lisa (“The Queen of Spades”) at the Vienna State Opera, as Leonora (“Il trovatore”) at the Berlin State Opera, and as Abigaille (“Nabucco”) and Aida at the Arena di Verona.

Elena Guseva, born in Kurgan (Russia), studied at the Shostakovich Conservatory in her hometown and at the Moscow Conservatory. She is a regular guest at the Stanislavski Theatre in Moscow, where she has performed major roles of her fach. These include Leonora (“La forza del destino”), Mimì (“La bohème”), Tosca, Cio-Cio-San (“Madama Butterfly”), Tatiana (“Eugene Onegin”), and Lisa (“The Queen of Spades”). Further guest engagements have taken her to La Scala in Milan, the Vienna State Opera, the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, the Hamburg State Opera, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Semperoper Dresden, Theater Basel, Teatro Real in Madrid, Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse, Opéra national de Lyon, and the Bregenz Festival. Most recently, she has sung Marietta (“Die tote Stadt”) and Elisabetta di Valois (“Don Carlo”) at the Semperoper Dresden, Cio-Cio-San at the Hamburg and Bavarian State Operas, Lisa at the Opéra de Lyon and Hamburg State Opera, Aida and the Foreign Princess (“Rusalka”) at the Bavarian State Opera, as well as Giordano’s Fedora at the Grand Théâtre de Genève.

George Petean was born in Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and studied piano, trombone, and voice. He made his stage debut in 1997 at the Cluj-Napoca Opera as Don Giovanni. In 1999, he won the Grand Prize at the international singing competition Hariclea Darclée. In 2000, he made his debut as Marcello (“La bohème”) at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, and from 2002 to 2010 he was a member of the Hamburg State Opera ensemble. Since then, he has worked as a freelance artist. Engagements have taken him to the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Vienna State Opera, Opéra de Paris, the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, the New York Met, Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Berlin opera houses, Semperoper Dresden, Opera Amsterdam, and the Bregenz Festival. His repertoire includes roles such as Figaro (“Il barbiere di Siviglia”), Silvio (“Pagliacci”), Conte di Luna (“Il trovatore”), Rodrigo, Marquis of Posa (“Don Carlo”), Lord Enrico Ashton (“Lucia di Lammermoor”), Giorgio Germont (“La traviata”), Amonasro (“Aida”), Simon Boccanegra, and Rigoletto. At the Zurich Opera House, he has recently appeared as Macbeth, Simon Boccanegra, and Renato (“Un ballo in maschera”). More recently, he has performed Simon Boccanegra at the Berlin State Opera, Conte di Luna at the Hamburg State Opera and Berlin State Opera, Carlo Gérard (“Andrea Chénier”) at the Vienna State Opera, and Marquis of Posa at the Bavarian State Opera.

Yusif Eyvazov is a native of Azerbaijan and studied in his hometown of Baku and in Italy. He regularly appears at the world’s most prestigious opera houses and festivals, including the Royal Opera House in London, the state operas of Munich, Berlin, and Vienna, La Scala in Milan, the Opéra National de Paris, Teatro Real in Madrid, the Bolshoi Theatre, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the Arena di Verona, and the Salzburg Festival. His repertoire includes roles such as Alfredo (“La traviata”), Manrico (“Il trovatore”), Riccardo (“Un ballo in maschera”), Duca di Mantova (“Rigoletto”), Don Alvaro (“La forza del destino”), Radamès (“Aida”), Don Carlo, Des Grieux (“Manon Lescaut”), Rodolfo (“La bohème”), Cavaradossi (“Tosca”), Dick Johnson (“La fanciulla del West”), Calaf (“Turandot”), Hermann (“The Queen of Spades”), Maurice (“Adriana Lecouvreur”), and the title role in “Andrea Chénier.” His discography includes a live recording of Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut” from the Salzburg Festival and the album “Romanza” with Anna Netrebko. In 2017, he was awarded the title of People’s Artist of Azerbaijan. Most recently, he has appeared as Otello at Teatro Massimo in Palermo, as Cavaradossi at Teatro dell’Opera in Rome, as Alfredo at the Royal Opera House Muscat, as Manrico at the Berlin State Opera, as Hermann at the Vienna State Opera, as Don José and Radamès at the Arena di Verona, and in numerous concerts with Anna Netrebko in cities such as Sofia, Budapest, Paris, Vienna, and Istanbul.

Riccardo Massi studied voice in Rome and at the Accademia della Scala in Milan. He made his debut in 2009 as Radamès (“Aida”) in Salerno. This was followed by engagements at the Landestheater Salzburg, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London, the Zurich Opera House, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Teatro Regio di Torino, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and opera houses in Dresden, Brussels, Sydney, Moscow, and Los Angeles. He has also appeared at the Bregenz Festival and the Arena di Verona Opera. His repertoire includes roles such as Verdi’s Manrico (“Il trovatore”), Rodolfo (“Luisa Miller”), and Don Carlo, Puccini’s Calaf (“Turandot”), Pinkerton (“Madama Butterfly”), and Des Grieux (“Manon Lescaut”), as well as Pollione (Bellini’s “Norma”), Maurizio in Cilea’s “Adriana Lecouvreur,” and the title role in Giordano’s “Andrea Chénier.” On the concert stage, he has performed alongside soprano Sonya Yoncheva at the Hamburg State Opera and with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. Before his operatic career, he worked as a specialist in medieval weaponry and as a stuntman, appearing in films and TV series such as Martin Scorsese’s “Gangs of New York” alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, “Empire,” and “Rome.” Most recently, Riccardo Massi has been heard as Don Alvaro (“La forza del destino”) at the Opéra de Lyon, as Radamès and Manrico at the Royal Opera House in London, as Pinkerton and Canio (“Pagliacci”) at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, as Calaf at the Athens Opera, and as Cavaradossi (“Tosca”) at Teatro La Fenice in Venice.

Annalisa Stroppa studied voice at the Luca Marenzio Conservatory in Brescia. She is the winner of numerous competitions, including the Riccardo Zandonai International Singing Competition. In 2011, she made her debut at the Salzburg Whitsun Festival, singing the role of Cherubino in Saverio Mercadante’s “I due Figaro.” Guest engagements have taken her to venues such as the Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Teatro Real in Madrid, the Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv, the Opéra national de Paris, the Semperoper Dresden, the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, the Vienna State Opera, and the Bregenz and Salzburg Festivals. Her repertoire includes roles such as Rosina in “Il barbiere di Siviglia,” Dorabella in “Così fan tutte,” Angelina in “La Cenerentola,” Romeo in “I Capuleti e i Montecchi,” Nicklausse in “Les Contes d’Hoffmann,” Enrichetta di Francia in “I puritani,” Adalgisa in “Norma,” Fenena in “Nabucco,” Suzuki in “Madama Butterfly,” and the title role in “Carmen.” Most recently, she has performed as Idamante in “Idomeneo” at the Cologne Opera, Rosina in Cagliari, Carmen in Genoa, Sara in “Roberto Devereux” in Naples, and Charlotte in “Werther” at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.

Michele Pertusi is a native of Parma. He is an internationally sought-after bass and has appeared at leading opera houses including La Scala in Milan, the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, the Paris Opéra, the state operas of Vienna, Munich, and Berlin, as well as in Rome, Zurich, Brussels, Amsterdam, Madrid, Barcelona, and Salzburg. His roles have included the title characters in “Maometto II,” “Guillaume Tell,” “Don Pasquale,” “Attila,” “Oberto,” and “Falstaff,” as well as Don Alfonso (“Così fan tutte”), Basilio (“Il barbiere di Siviglia”), Mustafà (“L’italiana in Algeri”), Lord Sidney (“Il viaggio a Reims”), Pharaoh (“Mosè in Egitto”), Le Gouverneur (“Le Comte Ory”), Count Rodolfo (“La sonnambula”), Dulcamara (“L’elisir d’amore”), Don Alfonso (“Lucrezia Borgia”), Walter (“Luisa Miller”), Pagano (“I Lombardi alla prima crociata”), Fiesco (“Simon Boccanegra”), and Méphistophélès (“Faust”). A renowned Rossini interpreter, he made his debut at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro in 1997 as Moïse in “Moïse et Pharaon,” and has since been regularly invited back, receiving the “Rossini d’oro” award. Michele Pertusi has made numerous recordings: “Il turco in Italia” under Riccardo Chailly received a Gramophone Award, and “Falstaff” under Sir Colin Davis won a Grammy. In 1995, Pertusi was awarded the prestigious Premio Abbiati, and in 2003 he received the Gold Medal for Cultural Merit from the Republic of Italy. Most recently, he has appeared as Padre Guardiano (“La forza del destino”) at the Opéra de Lyon, as Attila at Teatro La Fenice in Venice, as Oroveso (“Norma”) at La Scala in Milan, and as Timur (“Turandot”) at the Puccini Festival in Viareggio.

Roberto Frontali is a native of Rome. He won the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale “A. Belli” competition in Spoleto in 1986 and made his debut there in 1987 as Lord Enrico Ashton in “Lucia di Lammermoor.” After initially focusing on the bel canto roles of Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti, he later turned to the Verdi repertoire and, more recently, to the Puccini and verismo roles within his vocal range. In the early 1990s, he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York with “L’elisir d’amore” and at La Scala in Milan with “Beatrice di Tenda.” Highlights of his career include collaborations with Claudio Abbado for “Il barbiere di Siviglia,” with Riccardo Muti, with whom he worked at La Scala for a decade on productions including “La traviata,” “Falstaff,” and “Don Pasquale,” with Zubin Mehta for “La forza del destino,” “Lucia di Lammermoor,” and “Falstaff,” with Myung Whun-Chung for “Don Carlo” and “Rigoletto,” as well as with Semyon Bychkov for “La bohème,” “Eugene Onegin,” and “Don Carlo.” In 2021, he played the title role in the film “Gianni Schicchi,” directed by Damiano Michieletto. His recent and upcoming engagements include “The Name of the Rose” at La Scala in Milan, “Don Pasquale” at the Hamburg State Opera, “Don Giovanni” at the Caracalla Festival in Rome, “Tosca” at Teatro La Fenice in Venice and at Teatro Regio in Turin, as well as “La traviata” at the New National Theatre Tokyo and in Venice.

Lobel Barun, bass, is originally from Croatia. He studied with Alexei Tanovitski at the Music Academy in his hometown of Zagreb. In 2023, he won the special "Željko Lučić" Prize at the "Lazar Jovanović" International Singing Competition in Belgrade. That same year, he made his debut at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb as Bacchus in Boris Papandopulo’s Amphitryon. He also appeared with the Zagreb Philharmonic at the Lisinski Concert Hall and portrayed Salieri in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Mozart and Salieri at the opera studio of the Zagreb Academy. Other roles include Le Surintendant des plaisirs (Massenet’s Cendrillon) at the Zagreb Music Academy, the tame raven Moses (Igor Kuljerić’s Animal Farm) at the Lisinski Concert Hall, Carceriere (Tosca) at the Croatian National Theatre, and Tobias Mill (Rossini’s La cambiale di matrimonio) in Vis, Croatia. Starting with the 2024/25 season, he will join the International Opera Studio at Zurich Opera House.

Tomislav Jukić, tenor, is originally from Croatia. He is a prizewinner of major international vocal competitions, including the Mikuláš Schneider-Trnavský International Vocal Competition and the International Antonín Dvořák Singing Competition (2023). He studied with Martina Zadro at the Music Academy in Zagreb and took part in masterclasses with Renata Pokupić, Nikola Kitanovski, Alexei Tanovitski, and Mikhail Sinkevich. His engagements have included the tenor part in Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine with the Croatian Radio Choir and the ensemble Concerto dei Venti in Split, Rijeka, and Zagreb, as well as his debut as Mercury (Boris Papandopulo’s Amphitryon) in a production by the Zagreb Music Academy. More recently, he performed Goro (Madama Butterfly) at the opera house in Ljubljana, gave a solo recital at the Allegretto Festival in Žilina (Slovakia), and appeared as a soloist in concert with the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra. Tomislav Jukić will join the International Opera Studio at Zurich Opera House starting with the 2024/25 season.

Maximilian Bell, bass, studied with Michail Lanskoi and Manfred Equiluz at the Music and Arts Private University of the City of Vienna. He furthered his training through masterclasses with Angelika Kirchschlager, Adrian Eröd, and Gerhard Kahry. The Austrian-born singer has already performed roles such as Spinelloccio (Gianni Schicchi) and Norton (La cambiale di matrimonio) at the Bregenz Festival, Osmin (Die Entführung aus dem Serail) as part of the Vienna Philharmonic’s Summer Academy in Vienna and Graz, Snug (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) at Theater Akzent in Vienna, the bass part in Bernstein’s Mass at the Vienna Musikverein, Rocco (Fidelio) in a children’s production in Baden, Austria, Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte) at the MuTh in Vienna, and Bartolo (Le nozze di Figaro) in a touring theatre production. Starting with the 2024/25 season, he will be a member of the International Opera Studio at Zurich Opera House.