Published: 01 July 2012
Category: Vocal & Opera

On 19 July, Intermusica’s rising stars Kai Rüütel and Jacques Imbrailo return to the Royal Opera House for a special gala performance of Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims. The concert marks the 10-year anniversary of the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme and features former graduates of the programme such as Marina Poplavskaya, Ailish Tynan, Matthew Rose and conductor Daniele Rustioni.

Jacques Imbrailo (Barone di Trombonok) was a Jette Parker Young Artist from 2006 to 2008. After his graduation he was immediately offered leading roles across the world: Tarquinius The Rape of Lucretia (Houston Grand Opera); the leading baritone role in Judith Weir’s new commission for the Royal Opera House, Miss Fortune (which premiered at the Bregenz Festspiele); Figaro The Barber of Seville (Welsh National Opera); Count Le nozze di Figaro (Opéra de Lille, Welsh National Opera and the Royal Opera House); Malatesta Don Pasquale (Royal Opera House); Guglielmo Così fan tutte (Opera Colorado, Glyndebourne Touring Opera and Opera North); Schaunard La Bohème (Royal Opera House). In 2010, Jacques made his Glyndebourne Festival debut in the title role of Billy Budd in Michael Grandage’s acclaimed new production conducted by Sir Mark Elder. His performance won rave reviews: Andrew Clark, writing in the Financial Times, pronounced Jacques “the finest Billy I have heard – lusty, virile, sensitive and moving”.

After her graduation from the Programme last year, Kai Rüütel (Marchesa Melibea) was immediately invited to Covent Garden to star as Meg Page in the new Robert Carsen production of Falstaff and for the role of Wellgunde in the revival of Keith’s Warner production of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen this autumn. This year Kai Rüütel had two acclaimed debuts, with Scottish Opera as Hansel Hansel and Gretel, and at the Philharmonie Berlin with Zemlinsky’s Sechs Gesänge. Future plans include a world premiere for Vlaamse Opera and debuts with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, St Louis Philharmonic Orchestra, De Nederlandse Opera, Théâtre du Capitole Toulouse and Dallas Opera.

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