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Tenorissimo / Il Pomo d’Oro
Wed, September 30, 2026 | KSSF

Tenorissimo / Il Pomo d’Oro

Wed, September 30, 2026 at 19:30 | KSSF | BHSS | | | | [published 2026-10-06]

Tenorissimo / Il Pomo d’Oro

The ensemble Il Pomo d'Oro is one of the best-known European chamber orchestras devoted to the performance of early music on period instruments. It was founded in 2012 by the German music producer Dr Gesine Lübben and the Italian Baroque music specialist Giulio d'Alessio. At the festival concert the ensemble will present a selection of works from the German and Italian Baroque and the pre-Classical period. We welcome as soloist Michael Spyres, one of the most remarkable tenors of today, a performer of enormous virtuosity whose vocal nature allows him to sing an exceptionally wide range of repertoire, from early music to leading roles in Richard Wagner's operas. For the first time in his career, the tenore assoluto devotes a programme entirely to the Baroque.

Zefira Valova 1st violin / concertmaster
Lucia Giraudo 2nd violin
Jonathan Alvarez double bass
Maria Shabashova harpsichord

Composers: Baldassare Galuppi (1706–1785), Johann Adolph Hasse (1699–1783), Georg Friedrich Händel (1685–1759), Gaetano Latilla (1711–1788), Antonio Maria Mazzoni (1717–1785), Nicola Antonio Porpora (1686–1768), Jean Philippe Rameau (1683–1764), Giuseppe Sammartini (1695–1750), Domenico Sarri (1679–1744), Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741) | Encores: Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714–1787)

Michael Spyres

Michael Spyres is one of the most distinctive tenors of his generation. He was born and raised in the Ozarks region of Missouri, USA. His vocal range is that of a baritenor – a rare voice type combining the richness of a baritone with the high register of a tenor, to which he owes his unusually broad repertoire, ranging from the Baroque through Classicism and bel canto to French grand opéra and 20th-century music. He has recorded more than thirty CDs and ten DVDs.

In recent years, he has also established himself as a sought-after performer of the heroic tenor repertoire. He made his Wagner debut in 2024 as Lohengrin at the Opéra national du Rhin; in the same year, he made his debut at the Bayreuth Festival in the role of Siegmund in Die Walküre, and in 2025 he returned there in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. In the 2025/2026 season, he sang his first Tristan in a new production at the Metropolitan Opera.

His other roles include Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona and at the Vienna State Opera, and the title role in a new production of The Tales of Hoffmann at the Opéra Comique in Paris. As a soloist, he has performed under the baton of Christian Thielemann at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, the Laeiszhalle in Hamburg and the Musikverein in Vienna; he regularly performs recital repertoire.

Spyres's artistic standing is confirmed by his performances at the world's most prestigious opera houses and concert halls – Teatro alla Scala, the Metropolitan Opera, the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, the Opéra national de Paris, the Bavarian State Opera, the Teatro Real, the Semperoper, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw, Musikverein, Gewandhaus – and at festivals in Salzburg, Aix-en-Provence, Pesaro, Edinburgh and the BBC Proms.

Since 2015, he has served as Artistic Director of the Ozarks Lyric Opera in his hometown, where he has staged fifteen opera productions and five gala concerts. Alongside this, he translates librettos, teaches on masterclasses and mentors young singers.

He has collaborated with conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, John Eliot Gardiner, Emmanuelle Haïm, Riccardo Muti, Antonio Pappano, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Raphaël Pichon and Christophe Rousset. He is the recipient of the Gramophone Classical Music Award (2022), the International Opera Awards (2024), the OPER! Award (2024) and the Opus Klassik (2024); in 2021, the French government awarded him the title of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

Michael Spyres has previously performed in Bratislava as part of the Kapos agency's concert series alongside tenor Lawrence Brownlee (Game of Tenors, 2023); this is his first appearance at the Bratislava Music Festival.

Il Pomo d’Oro

Il Pomo d'Oro was founded in 2012 and, within a few years, established itself as one of the leading ensembles specialising in historically informed performance. It has an extensive concert programme across the globe and has released more than forty recordings, many of which have won international awards.

The ensemble is a sought-after partner for singers – both in recital programmes and in full-length operas, which it records and performs at the world's most prestigious theatres. Its recent productions include Handel's Theodora, for which a new vocal ensemble, the Il Pomo d'Oro Choir, was formed; the concert recording won the BBC Music Magazine Choral Award in 2023. The recording of Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder with Joyce DiDonato was nominated for a Grammy.

Under the baton of Francesco Corti, the ensemble has performed Handel's operas Ariodante, Tolomeo, Berenice and Alcina and the oratorio Jephtha. With mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, it undertook the 'Eden' project tour, and with countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński, it presented 'Beyond', a programme of rarely performed early music.

In the field of instrumental music, the ensemble focuses on projects with chief conductor Maxim Emelyanychev and principal guest conductor and harpsichordist Francesco Corti. Concertmaster Zefira Valova both leads the orchestra and performs as a soloist.

In 2023, Il Pomo d'Oro embarked on its largest recording project to date – a complete recording of Mozart's symphonies conducted by Maxim Emelyanychev for the French label Aparté. Each volume includes one instrumental concerto as a bonus track.

G. F. Händel: Tamerlano, HWV 18 (Atto III/9, Bajazet)

G. F. Händel: Tamerlano, HWV 18 (III. dejstvo / 9, Bajazet)

Recitativo accompagnato

Recitatív

E il soffrirete, d’onestade, oh Numi?
La raccomando a voi, poiché a me resta,
onde togliermi a lui la via funesta.

A vy to strpíte, ó bohovia, ochrancovia cnosti?
Zverujem ju vám, pretože mne zostáva
jedine cesta smrti, aby som sa vymanil z jeho moci.

Aria

Ária

Empio, per farti guerra
Dal regno di sotterra
L’ombra ritornerà.
E l’ira degli Dei
Al suon de’ sdegni miei
Forse si sveglierà.

Bezbožník, aby proti tebe viedol vojnu,
z ríše podsvetia
vráti sa môj tieň.
A hnev bohov
hlas svätého rozhorčenia
azda prebudí.

G. F. Händel: Theodora, HWV 68 (Parte I/5, Septimius)

G. F. Händel: Theodora, HWV 68 (I. dejstvo / 5, Septimius)

Air

Ária

Dread the fruits of Christian folly,
And this stubborn melancholy,
Fond of life and liberty.
Chains and dungeons ye are wooing,
And the storm of death pursuing;
Rebels to the known decree.
Dread the fruits …

Bojte sa plodov kresťanského bláznovstva
a vašej tvrdošijnej trudnomyseľnosti,
vy, ktorí tak lipnete na živote a slobode.
Dvoríte sa okovám a žalárom
a ženiete za búrkou smrti;
vzbúrenci proti zákonu.
Bojte sa plodov…

A. Vivaldi: Artabano, re de’ Parti, RV 701 (Atto III/7, Artabano)

A. Vivaldi: Artabano, kráľ partský (III. dejstvo / 7, Artabano)

Cada pur sul capo audace
Quella face,
Che s’accende
Dallo sdegno nel mio cor
Traditor [Il rival] d’un Re sprezzato
Provi pur l’estremo fato
Fra le smanie del dolor.

Nech len padne na tú spupnú hlavu
pochodeň,
čo sa vznieti
z hnevu v mojom srdci.
Nech rival opovrhovaného kráľa
zakúsi najkrutejší osud
v bolestných mukách.

B. Galuppi: Alessandro nell’Indie (Atto I/3, Alessandro)

B. Galuppi: Alexander v Indii (I. dejstvo / 3, Alessandro)

Vil trofeo d’un’alma imbelle
È quel ciglio allor, che piange.
Io non venni in fino al Gange
le Donzelle
a debellar.
Oh rossor di quegli allori,
che non han fra miei sudori
cominciato a germogliar.

Biednou trofejou zbabelej duše
je oko, ktoré plače.
Neprišiel som až ku Gange,
aby som pokoril
devy.
Ó, hanba tých vavrínových vencov,
ktoré nezačali klíčiť
z môjho potu.

G. Latilla: Siroe, re di Persia (Atto I/1, Cosroe)

G. Latilla: Siroe, kráľ Perzie (I. dejstvo / 1, Cosroe)

Se il mio paterno amore
sdegna il tuo cuore altero,
più giudice severo
che padre a te sarò.
E l’empia fellonia
che forse volgi in mente
prima che adulta sia
nascente opprimerò.

Ak mojou otcovskou láskou
pohŕda tvoje pyšné srdce,
budem ti skôr prísnym sudcom
než otcom.
A bezbožnú zradu,
ktorú možno práve chystáš v mysli,
prv než dozreje,
potlačím ešte v zrode.

J. Ph. Rameau: Naïs, RCT 49 (Acte III/5, Neptune)

J. Ph. Rameau: Naïs, RCT 49 (III. dejstvo / 5, Neptune)

Cessez de ravager la terre,
Aquilons, aux mortels ne faites plus la guerre !
Éole, enchaîne leur fureur !
Zéphyrs, que votre douce haleine
Répande dans les airs et sur l’humide plaine
Les charmes de la paix qui règne dans mon coeur.
Cessez de ravager la terre, etc.

Prestaňte pustošiť zem,
severné vetry, neveďte už vojnu so smrteľníkmi!
Aiolos, spútaj ich zúrivosť!
Zefýry, nech váš nežný dych
rozšíri vo vzduchu i na vodách
čarovný pokoj, ktorý vládne v mojom srdci.
Prestaňte pustošiť zem…

N. Porpora: Germanico in Germania (Atto I/7, Segeste)

N. Porpora: Germanicus v Germánii (I. dejstvo / 7, Segeste)

Nocchier, che mai non vide
l’orror della tempesta,
scioglie le vele, e ride,
il vento non l’arresta,
e lieto solca il mar.

Kormidelník, ktorý nikdy nezažil
hrôzy búrky,
rozvinie plachty a smeje sa,
vietor ho nezastaví,
veselo si brázdi more.

Ma quando l’onda freme,
e l’aria si scolora,
mesto sospira, e teme:
ma sul periglio allora
è vano il sospirar.

No keď sa vlny rozbúria
a obloha potemnie,
smutne vzdychá, bojí sa:
no v nebezpečenstve
sú vzdychy zbytočné.

D. Sarri: Achille in Sciro (Atto I/5, Ulisse)

D. Sarri: Achilles na Skyre (I. dejstvo / 5, Odyseus)

Fra l’ombre un lampo solo
basta al Nocchier sagace,
che già ritrova il polo,
già riconosce il mar.
Al pellegrin ben spesso
basta un vestigio impresso,
perché la via fallace
non l’abbia ad ingannar.

V temnote stačí bystrému kormidelníkovi
jediný blesk,
už nachádza pól,
už poznáva more.
Pútnikovi neraz stačí
jediná stopa,
aby ho zradná cesta
nedokázala oklamať.

J. A. Hasse: Arminio (Atto I/2, Segeste)

J. A. Hasse: Arminio (I. dejstvo / 2, Segeste)

Solcar pensa un mar sicuro
perché vede il ciel sereno.
Non si fidi, in un baleno
può cangiarsi il cielo, e il mar.
Perché il ciel divenga oscuro
basta sol, che un nembo scioglia,
perché il mar le furie accoglia,
un sol vento può bastar.

Myslí si, že brázdi bezpečné more,
pretože vidí jasnú oblohu.
No pozor: v okamihu
sa môže zmeniť nebo i more.
Aby sa obloha zatemnila,
stačí jediný mrak;
aby sa more rozzúrilo,
na začiatok postačí vetrík.

A. M. Mazzoni: Antigono (Atto I/8, Antigono)

A. M. Mazzoni: Antigono (I. dejstvo / 8, Antigono)

Tu m’involasti un regno,
hai d’un trionfo il vanto;
ma tu mi cedi intanto
l’impero di quel cor.
Ci esamini il sembiante,
dica ogni fido amante
chi più d’invidia è degno,
se il vinto o il vincitor.

Vzal si mi kráľovstvo,
víťazstvom sa môžeš chváliť;
mne však zatiaľ prenechávaš
ríšu tohto srdca.
Nech hľadí na tú tvár
každý verný milenec,
nech povie, komu viac závidieť,
porazenému či víťazovi.
61. Bratislavské hudobné slávnosti, denný bulletin ku koncertu 30. septembra 2026, Bratislava, Slovenská filharmónia 2026

AŽALTOVIČ, Boris. Výnimočné koncerty na Bratislavských hudobných slávnostiach. In: Postoj [online]. 27 September 2026 [viewed 12 October 2026]. [in Slovak] postoj.sk/200802/vynimocne-koncerty-na-bratis…

HUSKA, Michal. Zapomenutý barokní svět v Bratislavě a aplaus bez váhání vstoje. In: KlasikaPlus.cz [online]. 2 October 2026 [viewed 5 October 2026]. ISSN 2571-4171. [in Slovak] klasikaplus.cz/zapomenuty-barokni-svet-v-brat…

PETROVITS, Silvia Mária. Týždeň plný zážitkov. Kam za kultúrou? (40/2026). In: Art and History Magazine [online]. 25 September 2026 [viewed 14 October 2026]. [in Slovak] artandhistorymagazine.eu/culture/tyzden-plny-…

POLAKOVIČOVÁ, Viera. Hudobná recenzia : Bratislavské hudobné slávnosti. In: Radio Devín [online]. 6 October 2026 [viewed 6 October 2026]. [in Slovak] devin.stvr.sk/clanky/reflexia-a-kritika/46350…

TOMSA, Jan Sebastian. Michael Spyres: Hlas je jen jedna část. Zbytek tvoří mozek a srdce. In: KlasikaPlus.cz [online]. 28 September 2026 [viewed 30 September 2026]. ISSN 2571-4171. [in Czech] klasikaplus.cz/michael-spyres-hlas-je-jen-jed…

UNGER, Pavel. Michael Spyres, univerzálny tenorový fenomén, zažiaril na BHS v baroku. In: Opera Slovakia [online]. 1 October 2026 [viewed 2 October 2026]. ISSN 2453-6490. [in Slovak] operaslovakia.sk/michael-spyres-univerzalny-t…

Sources

Bratislavské hudobné slávnosti : Koncert, 30. septembra 2026. Daily bulletin. Bratislava : Slovenská filharmónia, 2026. [in Slovak] stream.filharmonia.art/bhs/koncert/KS20260930…

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This concert was recorded for you by StreamTeam of the Slovak Philharmonic : Andrej Osvald lights, sound, camera, editor, Marek Piaček video producer, post-production
© Slovak Philharmonic 2026
Concert was published on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
Record last updated:
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