The Musician Insight

An opera star rising

Huw Montague Rendall is back, announcing his second album Contemplation, coming out on September 6th, 2024.

To give us a little taste of what’s to come, his new single, La Ballade de la reine Mab, showcases perfectly his skills as a singer and actor. This aria is found in the first act of Charles Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet, during the masked ball of the Capulets. After Romeo wishes to leave, due to bad premonitions about the future, his friend Mercutio sings to uplift him without success (“Mab, la reine des mensonges”).

Throughout the aria, Mercutio’s character is full of life, with the carelessness and playfulness of a young man starting in life. Those elements are performed splendidly by Rendall, whose acting makes us dive into Romeo and Juliet‘s world, without attending a staged performance: we image the scene of the masked ball, with its characters enjoying themselves and listening to Mercutio in an atmosphere of nonchalance.

Rendall’s vocal technique is impeccable, with a wide range and virtuosity serving once again his status of one of the greatest barytones of our generation.

Photo source: http://www.leedssong.com