In the first week of July I traveled to Italy to take part in the International Riccardo Zandonai Competition in Riva del Garda, in northern Italy. This time I traveled with my dog and mum to keep me company. My first round was on the first day of the competition, and because I opted into the special Zandonai Prize I sang the following pieces: Pace, anima cara from Francesca da Rimini by Zandonai, and Dich, teure Halle by Wagner. That night I got selected into the semifinals, and the competition had two more days of first rounds; there were a lot of singers and hardly any breaks for the jury, a tough thing!
In the semi-finale, in 33 degree heat, I performed Ier, dalla fabbrica a Triana from Zandonai’s Conchita, and Pace, pace, mio Dio from Verdi’s La forza del Destino, with Menotti’s To this we’ve come as my third aria. I didn’t make it to the finals but it was great fun to get to know Zandonai’s pieces (a mix of Puccini, Debussy and a bit of Shostakovich!) and to flex my competition muscle. Now onto a bit of vacation before I revisit Santuzza in August and September!
