When she was just four years old, the soprano Aleksandra Kurzak was asked to record an album of operatic arias (although her parents didn’t allow it). As a teenager, she graduated with top marks from violin class at music school, and abandoned the instrument to focus on signing. Today, at the peak of her career, after each performance she calls her mother (Jolanta Żmurko, soloist with the Wrocław Opera) to ask her professional advice.

Today Kurzak is one of the most sought-after sopranos in the world, with concert schedules prepared months in advance. Fortunately, she has found time in her busy calendar to visit Kraków! The recital of the world-famous soprano held at the Kraków Philharmonic comprises works by Verdi, Puccini and Cilea.

Giuseppe Verdi:
– overture to  do opery La forza del destino
– Merce dilette amiche from I Vespri siciliani
– Triumphal March from Aida
– Ritorna il vincitor from Aida
– Ballabili from Otello
– Ave Maria from Otello
– Coro di Zingari from Il trovatore (instrumental)
– Tacea la notte from Il trovatore
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Giacomo Puccini:
– Intermezzo from Tosca
– Vissi d’arte from Tosca
– Intermezzo from Madama Butterfly
– Un bel di vedremo from Madama Butterfly
– Intermezzo from Manon Lescaut
– In quelle trine morbide from Manon Lescaut

Francesco Cilea:
– Intermezzo from Adriana Lecouvreur
– prelude to the Act IV of Adriana Lecouvreur
– Ecco respiro appena… Io son l’umile ancella from Adriana Lecouvreur

Aleksandra Kurzak – soprano
Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra
Alexander Humala – conductor