Chuck Sachs Interviews Christian Van Horn who sang Raimondo in “Lucia di Lamermoor” at Opera Philadelphia’s Festival O 2018, and who will be singing the title role in “Mefistofele” at the MET this season.
NOTES
CHRISTIAN VAN HORN – Bass-Baritone, singing Raimondo
Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti
Laurent Pelly, director
Corrado Rovaris, conductor
Brenda Rae, Lucia
Opera Philadelphia Festival 018
Previous companies where has sung Raimondo:
Santa Fe Opera
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Virginia Opera
Production set includes a large hill for the performers to traverse
This production is seen through the eyes of Enrico, Lucia’s brother.
It is his personal family nightmare.
Christian struggles with the character, but sees Raimondo as sympathetic, that although he does manipulate and lie, he’s not happy about it. The clue to that is
found in the music.
2018 Richard Tucker Award Winner
He prefers to sing traditional canon roles over roles in new works. For him, new
works are a huge time investment for something that may not be seen/heard
again after the premiere.
Exterminating Angel
Thomas Ades, composer and conductor
Christian sang Julio, the Butler
Metropolitan Opera, NY
Upcoming productions in Season 2018-19:
Mefistofele, role debut
Mefistofele by Arrigo Boito
Robert Carsen, director/production
Colline in La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini
Metropolitan Opera, NY
Les Troyen by Hector Berlioz
Opera National de Paris
Don Jose in Carmen by Hector Berlioz
Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich
Publio in La Clemenza di Tito by W.A. Mozart
Metropolitan Opera, NY
Samuel Ramey, originated lead role in this production of Mefistofele by Carsen
Faust by Gounod, Metropolitan Opera
La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi
Metropolitan Opera, NY
Diana Damrau, Violetta
Christian was born and grew up in Centereach, Long Island, NY
He did musical theater to start
In college he began studying with Richard Cross
Stony Brook University, SUNY, Long Island, NY
He attended Yale for graduate school
First role was the Duke of Verona
Romeo et Juliette by Charles Gounod
Florida Grand Opera
Second Gravedigger
Hamlet by Ambroise Thomas
St. Louis Opera Theater Young Artist Program
Roles he wants to perform:
French Repertoire
More Verdi
King Phillip
Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi
Not in any rush to sing Wagner
More Bel Canto operas
For the first 10 years of a singer’s life you are taking everything offered.
Now he wants to be a bit more particular. Both because of family and interest.
Las Vegas Opera
Jim Sohre – General Director
Opera Delaware
Dead Man Walking by Jake Heggie & Terrence McNally
Sky On Swings, new chamber opera
Lembit Beecher, composer
Hannah Moscovitch, librettist
Fredericka von Stade, sang Danny
Marietta Simpson, sang Martha
Festival 018, Opera Philadelphia
Opera On the Mall 2018
We Shall Not Be Moved
Daniel Bernard Roumain, composer
Marc Bamuthi Joseph, librettist
Bill T. Jones, director/choreographer/dramaturge
Lucia di Lammermoor, Festival 018 production
Glass Harmonica
Friedrich Kern, player
Credits: Chuck Sachs, interviewer; Peter Szep producer/editor
