Nelly Miricioiu at Meralco Theater

MANILA, Philippines - World-acclaimed Romanian-born soprano Nelly Miricioiu (photo) will make her special return engagement in Manila on March 6, 8 p.m. at the Meralco Theater with pianist Najib Ismail. Her program includes songs by Puccini, Verdi, Rossini, Respighi, Chausson and Chopin.

Last heard in Manila at the Manila Metropolitan Theater and earlier at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), where she got rousing standing ovations, Miricioiu will come back with a special program that will showcase her evolution as an artist.

Acclaimed in the world’s leading opera houses from La Scala di Milan to Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden and Paris Opera, Miricioiu has sung with the world’s icons of opera including Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Alfredo Kraus and Jon Vickers.

She will also hold an intensive vocal workshop on bel canto singing to advance and young Filipino singers.  For three consecutive days (March 9 to 11) at the Ayala Museum, she will coach 12 of the country’s finest singers in the art of singing bel canto opera, specializing in the music of Bellini and Donizetti. 

London critic Clive Hirshon wrote: “Nelly Miricioiu had the requisite passion for the title role, plus a melting pianissimo that ravished the house with its purity of tone.” The Financial Times’ Richard Fairman, on the other hand, wrote: “Her Tosca is an artist down to her fingertips, the kind who turns every wave in a theatrical event.”

Miricioiu’s concert is presented by the Cultural Arts Events Organizer in partnership with the Manila Chamber Orchestra Foundation, Ayala Museum, Lyric Piano and DZFE.FM The Master’s Touch. For tickets, call 0906-5104270 or 576-3132 or Ticketworld at 891-9999 or CAEO at 997-9483, 782-7164, 0918-3473027 or 0920-9540053.