Soprano Vittoria Yeo: "Raina Kabaivanska's help to me is double"
11 Jul 2022Newspaper “24 Chasa”

Soprano Vittoria Yeo: "Raina Kabaivanska's help to me is double"

Vittoria Yeo is a discovery of the great Raina Kabaivanska. The soprano is her student, she is one of the brightest stars of her school. Vittoria Yeo has attracted the attention of other world names too. In 2016, Peter Greenaway directed her for her debut in “Giovanna d'Arco” at the Teatro Farnese in Parma; Myung-whung Chung conducted her debut in “Madama Butterfly” in Venice. In her 2018 debut at Arena di Verona as Liù from “Turandot” in Franco Zeffirelli's historic production, Daniel Oren conducted. Of her teacher, Yeo says, “She often tells me, “Sing! Be an artist!” I was shy by nature and could not sing freely, but she gave me courage with these words. She is a great artist on the stage and a true teacher who passes on everything she knows to her students with heart. And she loves to see their progress and success.”

About the soprano

Витория Йео и Райна КабаиванскаVittoria Yeo and Raina Kabaivanska

For Vittoria Yeo, the path from Seoul to the world's opera stages is not so long, because Raina Kabaivanska gave her a hand in time. “When the help is immediate, it is double and undoubtedly produces results”, Vittoria points out. The South Korean soprano studied opera singing in Seoul and improved her skills in Mrs Kabaivanska's masterclasses, in Siena, the Chigiana Academy, Modena's Vecchi-Tonelli Institute and at the New Bulgarian University. Yeo's soloist appearances include the Rome Opera, Arena di Verona, Teatro del Maggio in Florence, Teatro Farnese in Parma, Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa.

In 2017, Vitoria made an impressive debut in “Aida” at the Salzburg Music Festival under the baton of Riccardo Muti. Other brilliant appearances followed for her. Today, Yeo is a name in the world of opera. And when asked what are the most valuable lessons that Vittoria has received from Raina Kabaivanska, she says: “First of all, the technique of singing, and it is not at all simple. For example, when I was preparing for my role in “Madama Butterfly”, Mrs Kabaivanska knew the secret traps of this role. Then she often told me not to throw myself away and give 100% of myself and keep my strength for the climax of my role. In 2010, I took part in Raina Kabaivanska's masterclass at New Bulgarian University and after that I will never forget the magnificent concert of the Bulgarian orchestra.”

According to Vittoria Yeo, once you are a singer, you should always have the courage to face the audience. It is imperative to know Italian, the language of Verdi and Puccini, to be confident in yourself, but often to doubt your abilities. This is the way to check how well you have mastered the role you are about to play.

The Bulgarian audience was able to see and admire the acting of the Korean on 25 April 2019. Under the baton of Pavel Klinichev she, together with the mezzo-soprano Nadia Krasteva, the tenor Francesco Anille and the bass Riccardo Zanellato, performed Verdi's Requiem.

Wonderful as a performer, Vitтoria Yeo will sing in “Madama Butterfly”, the geisha in love with a frivolous American officer, on 12 August. Puccini's opera, which premiered in 1904, has become one of the most performed and beloved operas of the audiences around the world and is a source of endless inspiration for stage directors, artists, designers, directors and performers.

On Friday, 12 August, at 20 h, at Lake Pancharevo, within the "Muses of Water" festival, Puccini's fans will be able to see not only Vittoria Yeo (Madama Butterfly) but also Ivanka Ninova (Suzuki) and Martin Iliev (Pinkerton), Ventseslav Atanasov (Sharpless), Nikolay Pavlov (Goro), Rosen Nenchev (for the first time in the role of Prince Yamadori), Dimitar Stanchev (Bonzo), Angel Hristov (Commissioner), Slavi Manov (Registrar), Tsveta Sarambelieva (Kate Pinkerton), Shana-Nikol Pechanova (Dolore).

Conductor of the spectacle is Andrei Galanov
Director: Plamen Kartaloff
Chorus Master: Violeta Dimitrova
The duration of the spectacle is 2:45 m.
Intervals 1.

https://www.24chasa.bg/ozhivlenie/article/11996935