In the world of classical music, few have the power to transform a score into a profound emotional experience for an audience. Lu Jia, a renowned conductor from Shanghai, is one of these exceptional talents, whose art has enchanted audiences around the world for more than 30 years.
Through his mastery, Lu Jia manages to bring the notes to life, giving a unique intensity and beauty to each performance. And this time he does it in Cagliari for the 2023 opera and ballet season of the Teatro Lirico, with Mefistofele. The opera in a prologue, four acts and an epilogue with libretto and music by Arrigo Boito, returns to the capital after 62 years with eight performances (the last edition was at the Roman Amphitheater in August 1961). In the new staging of the Lirico, which is directed by Juan Guillermo Nova, maestro Jia directs the Choir of the Teatro Lirico and the children's choir of the "Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina" Conservatory.
The debut on Friday 17th November was postponed due to a strike by theater employees, the show was staged on Saturday 18th, Sunday 19th, Wednesday 22nd and will be repeated on Friday 24th at 8.30pm (shift C); Saturday 25 November at 5pm (round I); Sunday 26 November at 5pm (round E).
In his career, Lu Jia has conducted some of the most prestigious orchestras in the world. His interpretations of classical and contemporary compositions have received unanimous acclaim from critics and audiences.
How did Maestro begin your musical career and what inspired you to become a conductor?
«I was born into a family linked to music, my father was an orchestra director and my mother a singer. I developed a passion for this art from a very young age. While still a teenager I studied conducting in Beijing and continued my studies in Berlin. I was called, while still a teenager, to become director at the Teatro Verdi in Trieste, which then opened me up to music from all over Europe and the whole world. With more than 2000 concerts I have had the opportunity to perform together with the main European and American orchestras. Italy, in particular, immediately gave me many opportunities, even though I was still a young man."
His collaboration with the lyric theater of Cagliari has lasted for 27 years. What is your relationship with Sardinia?
«My story with Cagliari begins in '96 and since that year I have come here every season. I met this wonderful island and immediately fell in love with it: its food, its wines, its people. Ever since I tasted Turriga and Angialis I have never forgotten them. The people here are warm and welcoming, it's sad to leave every time. Even my family, who follows me for concerts, has a weakness for the beaches and pasta dishes of beautiful Sardinia."
What was your approach to Boito's "Mefistofele"?
«It's the first time I've directed this work, I find it as exciting as it is complex. Boito's style combines, in this first work, many things together. It allows a great imagination, gives space to fantasy. Combining and managing the music with mastery and clarity for orchestra and stage was a great challenge. The writing is very classic, so much so that some musical pieces are the same even when the lyrics change, so you have to give a rhythm to the music to create variety. It must never be static but always insert different colors. This is its great power. What distinguishes a conductor is his ability to interpret scores in a profound and emotional way, but also his connection with the music and the artists he conducts. I always want to leave something of myself to the public."
