OPERA GALA

Winter Miracle at the Opera: Gala Concert of Eri Nakamura and José Simerilla Romero

On December 2, a renowned singer from Japan and a young tenor from Argentina will offer an amazing evening at the Latvian National Opera. The program includes more than 20 pieces of music, featuring beloved masterpieces by Verdi, Puccini, Tchaikovsky, and Massenet, as well as hidden gems by Bellini, Cilea, and Strauss. The concert will also include Italian songs that evoke the euphoric feeling of sparkling wine. This exquisite festive program was compiled by Richard Wilds, a British pianist, conductor, composer, arranger, and excellent accompanist who has been affiliated with the Bavarian State Opera for many years. He will also perform the piano part.

Eri Nakamura has previously performed in Latvia; in 2023, Elīna Garanča invited her to join her international project, Elīna Garanča & Friends. Before that, our opera lovers followed the success of the Japanese diva from afar. The great Sir Antonio Pappano recorded The Marriage of Figaro with Eri on the Deutsche Grammophon label. Additionally, seventeen albums and DVDs featuring Nakamura were released under the auspices of the reputable Naxos company, with several more on Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, and New Focus Recordings. She was a leading soloist with the Bayerische Staatsoper for six years and has performed with famous theatres such as the Royal Opera House, Wiener Staatsoper, New National Theatre Tokyo, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Théâtre du Capitole Toulouse, and Washington National Opera. Audiences and critics particularly admire Eri Nakamura in Puccini’s roles, such as Liu in Turandot and Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly, noting the wonderful harmony of her voice, vocal, and acting skills. Gramophone praised her as “a wonderfully characterful singer—both in terms of the voice itself and her charming ability to step swiftly and convincingly into a role.”

Jose Simerilla Romero is a singer with a bright future, often compared to Pavarotti. A winner of prestigious international competitions, this Argentinian began his career with lyric roles in Donizetti, Verdi, and Puccini operas. However, in the 2023/24 season, he added roles in operas by Tchaikovsky, Thom, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Poulenc to his repertoire. Simerilla Romero is currently performing at theatres such as Deutsche Oper Berlin, New National Theatre Tokyo, Komische Oper Berlin, English National Opera, and Staatsoper Hannover. The young artist is distinguished by his excellent training and impressive stage performance. Like Eri Nakamura, he does not limit himself to opera productions and is constantly involved in vocal, symphonic, and chamber concerts, which require special skills from performers.

Tours by excellent vocalists who are in demand at the world’s best music houses are rare in Latvia. Art Forte, which has delighted audiences with Elīna Garanča & Friends concerts in Jurmala since 2016, hopes that the pre-Christmas gala of Eri Nakamura and Jose Simerilla Romero will start a new tradition in Riga’s artistic life.