Video Premiere: Catarina's Aria from the Opera "Trezzini"

Following the first video releases from the private preview of the musical project "Trezzini" Opera, which took place in St. Petersburg on April 24, the Organizing Committee presents the long-awaited video recording of Catarina's Aria.

Opera "Trezzini" is a major musical and dramatic work currently being developed by composer Ekaterina Ivanova-Blinova and librettist Pavel Chernyakov. This original international fantasy artfully intertwines authentic milestones of the Petrine era with the modern day and magical realism. Evolving as an independent international cultural phenomenon, the project carries forward the core philosophy of the Golden Trezzini Awards — the perception of architecture as a form of art.

The musical dramaturgy of the opera is anchored in a unique sonic and conceptual counterpoint of eras. Stylized Baroque elements and polyphony engage in an expressive dialogue with the minimalist musical language of modernity. This sonic axis reflects the meeting of two worlds and the timeless bond between creators.

The storyline transports the listener from November 2024 to November 1724. A contemporary young Chinese architect, Li Wei, who arrives in St. Petersburg to receive the Golden Trezzini Award, miraculously falls through time into the Petrine era. He finds himself by the walls of the Peter and Paul Cathedral under construction, where he meets the great architect Domenico Trezzini and his daughter, Catarina.

The aria "Fate and Hope" is performed in the third scene of the opera, preceding the pivotal events of this act. As the day draws to a close by the cathedral walls, Catarina brings dinner to her father. It is here, amid the rugged setting of the construction site — before her fateful encounter with Li Wei and before he resolutely stands up for her against the crude laborers — that her lyrical solo unfolds. This poignant monologue lays bare the heroine's fragile soul. Stranded in an uninviting, cold, and haughty northern land, the daughter of the architect from sunny Ticino languishes in loneliness. Yet, at the same time, she keenly senses the latent, titanic power of these surroundings, sincerely admires her father's creative genius, and waits for a knight capable of melting the ice around her, breaking invisible boundaries, and drawing her out of the encroaching darkness.

Video link: https://youtu.be/M5zckuuPPCQ

The role of Catarina is brilliantly embodied by Katerina Kovanji, guest soloist of the St. Petersburg Shostakovich Philharmonic and a jury member of the Golden Trezzini Awards. Possessing a velvet mezzo-soprano of rare beauty, the singer infuses the Baroque romance with striking dramatic intensity and the subtlest emotional nuances. Her flawless vocal mastery, deep interpretation of the highly complex musical material, and rare artistic magnetism allow her to convey the heroine's entire spectrum of feelings — from poignant despair to a tentative yet all-conquering hope. At the piano is the author of the music, composer Ekaterina Ivanova-Blinova, whose sensitive and expressive performance style creates a perfect dialogue with the soloist's voice.

Katerina Kovanji is a versatile musician and a prominent public figure. She serves as the Director and a jury member of the Corsica Lirica International Opera Competition (France), heads the Symphony of Cultures International Festival, and hosts the educational radio program of the same name on Radio Hermitage (90.1 FM). The singer's participation in the jury of the Golden Trezzini Awards underscores the indissoluble link between architecture, music, and the highest standards of classical art.

Opera "Trezzini" awaits its full stage premiere, as well as producers, directors, and a stage capable of bringing it to life.

Dramatic reading of the opera synopsis (in Russian): https://vkvideo.ru/video-237589164_456239021

Li Wei’s Aria https://www.goldtrezzini.ru/en/news/li-wei

Official Opera Website: https://operatrezzini.ru/