Latvian mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca, one of opera’s brightest stars, enchanted the Hong Kong audience at her October 29 debut with an engaging mix of operatic highlights, including selections from Bizet’s Carmen—her celebrated signature role. With her commanding stage presence, Garanca delivered a program designed for broad appeal, drawing on classics from Russian, French, and Spanish repertoires, with the Macao Orchestra led by her husband, conductor Karel Mark Chichon.
The concert opened on a powerful note with Glinka’s Ruslan and Ludmila overture, leading into Joan’s farewell aria from Tchaikovsky’s The Maid of Orleans, in which Garanca’s portrayal of the conflicted Joan of Arc resonated with emotional depth. Next was Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix from Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalila, which Garanca sang with lush tones and a slower, more seductive phrasing. Following this was the cavatina from Gounod’s La Reine de Saba, a dramatic piece that allowed Garanca to exhibit both delicate and powerful expressions, capturing Queen Balkis’s unfulfilled love.
In the second half, Garanca’s entrance in a striking red gown thrilled the audience, a fitting choice for the Carmen selections to come. She began with an early version of the Habanera, L’amour est enfant de Bohème, followed by the famous final version that received the evening’s biggest applause. The suite continued with the lively Seguidilla, the somber card aria En vain pour éviter, and concluded with the spirited Chanson Bohème. Though the final song felt somewhat disjointed coming after the darker card aria, Garanca’s vocal range and expressive power gave each piece depth, even in this abridged format.
The Macao Orchestra added their own vibrancy to the evening, performing orchestral interludes like the Bacchanale from Samson et Dalila and Massenet’s Meditation from Thaïs, demonstrating the ensemble’s skill across varied styles. Chichon brought out the orchestra’s strengths, especially in Marquina’s lively España Cañi, a paso doble that added a Spanish flair.
Despite a less-than-full theater—perhaps due to a weekday evening and Hong Kong’s recent lineup of performances—the audience showed Garanca their admiration with a warm response. She rewarded them with two encores: an aria from the Spanish zarzuela tradition and an exhilarating rendition of Granada, closing the night with a flourish. Garanca’s voice was radiant and flexible, and though this gala leaned towards showcasing her technical prowess rather than deep emotional immersion, her artistry left a lasting impression, setting a high bar for her potential return in a full opera performance.
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