"I love that the Japanese people call me Superman," mused 6' 5" tenor James Valenti from Japan last month, while on tour with the Royal Opera. Under the baton of Antonio Pappano, he sang Alfredo in La Traviata with three different Violettas, including Anna Netrebko, his leading lady from his Salzburg Festival debut. "Traviata is frequently performed, but not always well.  All round, I'd say this is the best one I've seen since Caballé and Carreras in 1973," wrote Opera magazine's Russ McDonald about the Royal Opera's production on home turf at Covent Garden in July, when Valenti made his debut with soprano Angela Gheorghiu. The 2010 Richard Tucker Award winner has a great season ahead:

• Oct. 24: Washington Concert Opera, D.C.: Adriana Lecouvreur (Maurizio)
• Nov. 14: Richard Tucker Gala Concert, Lincoln Center, NYC (as 2010 Award Recipient), with Anna Netrebko, Elina Garanca+
• Jan. 16-Feb. 14: Paris Opera debut: Madama Butterfly (Lt. Pinkerton with Micaela Carosi)
• Mar. 25-Apr. 10: Dallas Opera: Rigoletto (The Duke with Paolo Gavanelli, Laura Claycomb) 
• May 14 - 22: Michigan Opera Theatre: Rigoletto (The Duke)
• Jun. 25-Jul. 15: Royal Opera Covent Garden: Madama Butterfly (Lt. Pinkerton with Patricia Racette)

"James Valenti's Alfredo is glorious - a most tuneful guardian, with admirable vocal delicacy."

-The Observer, London, 7/18/10

For more information, visit JamesValenti.com or the IMG Artists web site.  

Inon Barnatan's whirlwind autumn

Pianist Inon Barnatan spent September abroad making his debut in Berlin's Philharmonie with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester, recording a recital for German radio, collaborating with actor John Malkovich in Croatia, and playing a recital at the famed Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Already this month, the indefatigable pianist opened the Vancouver Recital Society's season with a critically lauded recital, played a concert in NYC with cellist Alisa Weilerstein (repeated this week at London's Wigmore Hall) and stepped in for his Cincinnati Symphony debut. He also makes his debut as conductor, directing two Mozart concertos from the keyboard in a tour with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. His U.S. highlights include:

• Oct. 27-Nov. 7: Academy of St. Martin in the Fields tour, OK, GA, VA: Mozart Piano Ctos. K. 271 & 414
• Nov. 3: Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts, Chicago: recital & WFMT broadcast
• Nov. 8 & 9: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, NYC: Sheng, Arensky
• Jan. 14-16: Houston Symphony: Mozart Piano Cto. K. 453
• Feb. 26: People's Symphony Concerts, NYC: recital
• Mar. 2: Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall, NYC: MacMillan: Piano Sonata

"It was a losing game for the Reds Friday night in Philadelphia, but quite the opposite for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at Music Hall ...  Israeli-born pianist Barnatan, 31, last minute pinch-hitter for pianist Mihaela Ursuleasa, who canceled because of illness, is a real find for Cincinnati ... [The] crowd made itself heard at the end, calling Barnatan back for repeated bows." 

-Cincinnati Enquirer, 10/9/10

"We hear an awful lot of brilliant up-and-coming pianists in Vancouver, but British-trained Barnatan impresses with the depth of his musicianship, as well as formidable technique."

-Vancouver Sun, 10/4/10

For more information, visit InonBarnatan.com or the Opus 3 Artists web site.  

Photos: Amber Star (Brooklyn Rider), Miguel Penalver (Heras-Casado), Dario Acosta (Valenti), Marco Borggreve (Barnatan)