NAXOS Deutschland freut sich über vier ICMA 2021-Auszeichnungen

One of the last true great opera divas, Edita Gruberova has triumphed on stages all over the world for over fifty years, showing the absolute perfection of her singing, the purity of her pitch and total adherence to the dramatic reasons of the characters in the Italian bel canto repertoire, in which she is undisputed queen — but we shouldn’t forget the wit and the irony she has always displayed in German and Viennese operetta. A model of long-lasting career and dedication, Edita Gruberova is a model for any young singer wishing to follow her example.

Unjustly labelled by Debussy’s famous joke (« I know three kinds of music: the good, the bad and Thomas’s »), the French composer’s music returns to the stage with a production of his masterpiece, Hamlet, which fascinated the audience thanks to Louis Langrée’s sensitive conducting, Cyril Teste’s intelligently modern direction and, above all, the magnificent singing and theatrical intensity of Stéphane Degout and Sabine Devieilhe: a real redemption for poor Ambroise Thomas!

In this documentary category about Lucas Debargue, shot and directed by the pianist’s contemporary Martin Mirabel, the camera follows the young musician during concerts, recordings and even walks, capturing his original and paradoxical judgments about art, revealing his complete immersion in what makes up the meaning of his life. The jury appreciates both the stylishly-made visual component of the film and the special way of filming, which combines a news-reel manner with great focus on the details. It reveals the creative personality of an artist who may become one of the greatest musicians of the 21st century.