Julia Lezhneva - Salieri: LA SECCHIA RAPITA, Sulle mie tempie, Schwetzingen 2022

THE SONGBIRD: Julia Lezhneva (Юлия Лежнева) was born in 1989 in Russia. She studied at music schools and privately with Irina Zhurina, Elena Obraztsova, and Yvonne Kenny among many others and became a protege of Kiri Te Kanawa. Lezhneva specializes in florid baroque and classical era material, but also sings Rossini, Meyerbeer, and Russian composers. Lezhneva has made several recital recordings and appeared to critical acclaim in Salzburg, Paris, London, Brussels, New York, Vienna, and Amsterdam. THE MUSIC: “La secchia rapita“ (“The Kidnapped Bucket“) is an heroic opera in three acts by Antonio Salieri. It was first performed in 1772 at the Burgtheater in Vienna and later staged in Mannheim (1774), Dresden (1775), and Modena (1787). It received a contemporary revival in Modena in 1990 under the direction of Frans Brüggen (available on YouTube). The bravura aria “Sulle mie tempie in dono“ is sung by the character Gherarda in Act Two, and noted for its prominent use of brass instruments. This performance features the Concerto Köln.