VOA标准英语2014--尼迪中心展示著名的波西米亚人

 

Kennedy Center's La Boheme Showcases Acclaimed¹ Albanian Tenor² 肯尼迪中心展示著名的波西米亚人

WASHINGTON— 

One of the most famous and beloved operas of all time - Giacomo Puccini’s La Boheme - is once again thrilling audiences in a new production at Washington's Kennedy Center - featuring the acclaimed young Albanian tenor Saimir Pirgu in the lead role of Rodolfo.

La Boheme is a classic story of love, set in the Latin Quarter of Paris in the 19th century. Its characters are primarily young artists who have chosen to live a "Bohemian" lifestyle, living and acting⁴ free of regard for conventional rules and practices.

Rodolfo, performed by tenor Saimir Pirgu, is a young poet full of inspiration and love for life. He shares a room with three artist friends and falls for a beautiful and simple girl, named Mimi.

Pirgu says it’s a perfect role for him.

“Rodolfo is one of the most beautiful roles I have ever done, and it offers a great opportunity to perform artistically⁵, because the role permits this, and in another case you can sing it very well; Puccini’s music is so beautiful to sing. I am very happy that I can do this,” says Pirgu.

Albanian-born Pirgu now lives in Italy.  He has amazed audiences and critics in the world's major music capitals.

In a career just barely a decade old, he has been seen and heard on illustrious stages in Vienna, London, Milan, Zurich, New York and Los Angeles -  in an array of lyric⁶ tenor roles.

Pirgu rose to prominance quickly, despite the limitations of having grown up in Albania -- at the time a highly-restrictive Communist country. 

He began studying music at the age of seven, and first became a violinist. He was inspired to focus on opera after watching a rare live TV broadcast of a performance of The Three Tenors⁷, Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo and José Carreras.

The young musician left his native Albania at the age of nineteen to further his vocal⁸ studies in Italy. But today, through his music, he has become a passionate⁹ ambassador for his native country.

American soprano Corinne Winters sings the role of Mimi in La Boheme.  She and Pirgu play lovers - who are torn apart by illness and death.

It’s quite a feat³ to do it right, says Pirgu.

 “Of course, the music of Puccini is very difficult, you need to have the special vocality¹⁰, musicality to sing it well.  It's not easy to sing an opera,” says he.

And Pirgu has both the vocality and musicality. Famed tenor Placido Domingo once called his technique "superb."

1 acclaimed   

adj.受人欢迎的

参考例句：

• They acclaimed him as the best writer of the year. 他们称赞他为当年的最佳作者。
• Confuscius is acclaimed as a great thinker. 孔子被赞誉为伟大的思想家。

2 tenor   

n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意

参考例句：

• The tenor of his speech was that war would come.他讲话的大意是战争将要发生。
• The four parts in singing are soprano,alto,tenor and bass.唱歌的四个声部是女高音、女低音、男高音和男低音。

3 feat   

n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的

参考例句：

• Man's first landing on the moon was a feat of great daring.人类首次登月是一个勇敢的壮举。
• He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。

4 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

5 artistically   

adv.艺术性地

参考例句：

• The book is beautifully printed and artistically bound. 这本书印刷精美，装帧高雅。
• The room is artistically decorated. 房间布置得很美观。

6 lyric   

n.抒情诗，歌词；adj.抒情的

参考例句：

• This is a good example of Shelley's lyric poetry.这首诗是雪莱抒情诗的范例。
• His earlier work announced a lyric talent of the first order.他的早期作品显露了一流的抒情才华。

7 tenors   

n.男高音( tenor的名词复数 )；大意；男高音歌唱家；（文件的）抄本

参考例句：

• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration. 3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His one -- a-kind packaging thrilled an opera world ever-hungry for tenors. 他一对一类包装激动世界的歌剧以往任何时候都渴望的男高音。 来自互联网

8 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

9 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

10 vocality   

声乐，声音

参考例句：

• Chinese vocality art has centuries-old history and full-bodied cultural tradition. 中国的声乐艺术，有着悠久的历史和浓郁的文化传统。
• Arts Achievement Award of Vocality Liao Changyong. 音乐艺术成就奖关乃忠。