Ildebrando D'Arcangelo

»Ildebrando D’Arcangelo is absolutely overwhelming as Leporello – charming, witty, sexy, but unmistakably in tune with his feelings, as his master could never be. What a difference it makes when a native Italian speaker sings the role.« The Independent »Ildebrando D’Arcangelo’s dark baritone is ideal for Figaro, and he also physically embodies the character.« The Guardian Celebrated by critics for his magnificent voice and stage presence, Italian bass-baritone Ildebrando D’Arcangelo is now one of the most interesting singers of his generation. Ildebrando D’Arcangelo is well-known to audiences across Europe and North America. In his versatile work on the opera stage and in the concert hall, he has collaborated with numerous great conductors, including Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Chailly, Myung-Whun Chung, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Daniele Gatti, Valery Gergiev, Bernard Haitink, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Christopher Hogwood, René Jacobs, Riccardo Muti, Seiji Ozawa, Antonio Pappano, and Sir Georg Solti. 1985 Begins studies at the conservatory in his hometown of Pescara, which he later continues with Paride Venturi in Bologna.   1989 Wins the international Toti dal Monte competition this year and again in 1991. Subsequently makes his stage debut in Così fan tutte. Since then, he has regularly performed at La Scala in Milan, the Vienna State Opera, Covent Garden, Opéra Bastille, the Liceu in Barcelona, the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, the Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse, and the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome.   1994 Sings Leporello in a new production of Don Giovanni in Parma under the direction of John Eliot Gardiner (on CD by Archiv Produktion). Debuts at the Met in New York as Masetto in Don Giovanni. Since then, he has frequently performed at this house, including as Figaro and Leporello. He has also been heard at other major American opera houses such as the Lyric Opera of Chicago.   1996 Debut at the Salzburg Festival in Le nozze di Figaro.   1997 Leporello in Don Giovanni at the Met.   1999 Figaro at the Met.   2002 Leporello at the Salzburg Festival and Covent Garden.   2005 Selim (title role) in Rossini’s Il turco in Italia at Covent Garden. 2006 Figaro at La Scala in Milan and alongside Anna Netrebko’s Susanna in the new production of the Salzburg Festival (released on CD and DVD by Deutsche Grammophon); Escamillo in Carmen at Covent Garden. 2008 Leporello at the Met; Guglielmo in Così fan tutte with the Vienna State Opera in Japan; Escamillo at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino; Verdi’s Requiem at the BBC Proms.   2009 Giorgio in Bellini’s I puritani at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna; Don Giovanni, Escamillo in Carmen, and Mustafà in Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri at the Vienna State Opera; Rossini’s Il turco in Italia at Theater an der Wien; Don Giovanni in Geneva; Carmen at Covent Garden. Signs an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon in May. First release: a solo album of Handel arias, due in September. 2010 Don Giovanni (title role) in new productions at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Vienna State Opera; Alidoro in La Cenerentola at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris; Selim in Rossini’s Il turco in Italia at Covent Garden; Escamillo in Carmen alongside Elīna Garanča and Jonas Kaufmann at the Bavarian State Opera and alongside Anna Netrebko at the Vienna State Opera; Figaro at the Bavarian State Opera.   2011 Così fan tutte (Guglielmo), Donizetti’s Anna Bolena (Henry VIII), and Don Giovanni at the Vienna State Opera; Don Giovanni in concert performances with Mojca Erdmann, Elīna Garanča, and Rolando Villazón in Baden-Baden; Rossini’s Stabat Mater with Anna Netrebko at the Salzburg Festival. Future engagements include Don Giovanni at La Scala in Milan and Così fan tutte at the Los Angeles Opera. Release by Deutsche Grammophon: a solo album of Mozart opera and concert arias. 3/2011