EXCLUSIVE Live Streaming Worldwide on the 8th of March 2024 (15.00 UK Time) from Russian President’s Residency in St Petersburg on the International Women’s Day, exclusively on SigmArt Platform.

In occasion of the International Women’s Day, SigmArt is honored to present the Concert “Zarzuelas for Ladies” directly from Konstantinovsky Palace, the residency in St Petersburg of the President of Russian.
Specially invited Star Guest the Famous Spanish Tenor AQUILES MACHADO.
The talent of this world-adored Spanish Tenor is considered on a par with the exemplary legendary trio of tenors Domingo, Carreras, Pavarotti. Maestro Plácido Domingo himself highly appreciated this unique voice: Aquiles Machado not only became the winner of the famous Plácido Domingo opera competition "Operalia", but also repeatedly performed with the Legendary Tenor on the same stage. The charm and beauty of Aquiles Machado's voice have ensured his victories in such prestigious music competitions as the F. Viñas Competition (Barcelona), the F. Alonso Competition (Madrid), and the BBC Singer of the World Competition (Cardiff).

All Awe, Passion, Love, Lyricism, from Spain and Italy, will reign in this concert.
Everything that this incredible Tenor performs on stage touches the soul. However, the Tenor in this occasion of the International Women’s Day will present a repertoire of the most expressive genres and works of his beloved Mediterranean countries. He will present Neapolitan songs and Zarzuelas, as well as famous opera arias. Neapolitan songs are always an ode to joy, sun, sea and beauty, even when they are sad. These soulful works are traditionally included in the repertoire of the most eminent tenors of the world stage: Enrico Caruso, Franco Corelli, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Mario Lanza, Luciano Pavarotti and many others. Well, what is Zarzuela? Traditionally, Zarzuelas accompanied all Spanish family celebrations. This genre was best described by Maestro Domingo: "For most of you, Zarzuela is just a word that is hard to pronounce. For me, the word Zarzuela means something very special – these are my lullabies, which my parents used to sing to me from the first days of my life, when they gently rocked me in their arms."

For the performance of duets with the brilliant Tenor Machado, there is no better part than Anna Kiknadze. The part in the opera "Carmen" became one of the best works of the famous mezzo-soprano and was duly appreciated by critics: "Anna Kiknadze's Carmen appeared earthly, in love with life, unaware of her imminent death. This was evidenced by the intoxicating and enchanting timbre of her rich, unique mezzo-soprano. Anna Kiknadze is absolutely natural in this role." St. Petersburg Vedomosti.

The tenor will also be paired with soprano MARINA ZYATKOVA, one of Aquiles Machado's favorite stage partners, with whom he shone at famous European opera venues.

Aquiles Machado has performed at the most prestigious venues in the world, including the Teatro San Carlo in Lisbon, the Arena di Verona, the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, the Teatro Regio in Parma, the opera houses of Rome, Washington, Los Angeles, the Liceu in Barcelona, the Teatro Real in Madrid, the Teatro Zarzuela in Madrid, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Vienna State Opera, the Zurich Opera House, the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala and others. He has worked with conductors such as Plácido Domingo, Jesús López-Cobos, Ricardo Chailly, Mstislav Rostropovich, Daniel Oren, Leopold Hagger, Raphael Frühbeck de Burgos, Friedrich Haider, Semyon Bychkov, Daniel Barenboim, James Conlon, Mung-Woon Chung, Alain Guingal, Marco Armigliato, Renato Palumbo, Bertrand de Billy, Marc Elder, Gustavo Dudamel, Eva Kwehler, Massimo Zanetti and Gianluigi Gelmetti

Cast: Aquiles Machado - Tenor; Anna Kiknadze - Mezzo-Soprano; Marina Zyatkova - Soprano; St. Petersburg State Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra for Children and Youth