The Art of singing as Destiny

Last March, the luminous Nemorino of Xabier Anduaga in L’elisir d’amore received 18 minutes of applause from the demanding audience of the Vienna State Opera. It was not the first time to hear a standing ovation at one of the world’s temples of opera. Nor was it the first time that the most sought-after recognition for any singer had been awarded.

Before initiating his professional career, Xabier Anduaga (San Sebastián, 1995) had sung in the Orfeón Donostiarra Choir where he had begun at the age of 8. This is one of the best schools of music and harmony in existence. Accordingly, his musical education began with the discipline, camaraderie, and attentive listening from an organisation which fosters choral training.

Maestro Alberto Zedda recognised a voice for bel canto in this fledgling youth who was not even 20. And so, the tenor began to sing Rossini and Donizetti on stages in and outside Spain. In 2019 Anduaga won First Prize at Operalia, and in 2021, was named Best Young Singer in the International Opera Awards (London). These distinctions opened the doors to more theatres in Europe and the Americas, as well as new roles in bel canto repertory; among the most recent of these is Alfredo of La traviata at the Teatre Liceu (Barcelona). Having only recently turned 30, with performances at the Metropolitan (New York), Covent Garden (London), Teatro Real (Madrid) and Ópera de Paris, Xabier Anduaga comes to the Maestranza with a recital that combines opera and zarzuela. An exceptional encounter with one of today’s tenors with greatest international impact

Programme: Opera arias and Zarzuela romanzas