The legendary actor John Malkovich is set to join Cecilia Bartoli, the director of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, on stage for a world premiere performance of Their Master’s Voice this coming April. 

The show, which will be taking place on 7th April within the context of the three-week-long Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo festival, is a blending of the talents of these two world-famous icons in their respective genres. 

BACKSTORY 

The plot of the collaborative piece centres on the famed Baroque-era composer and voice teacher Nicola Porpora and his equally celebrated castrati students, Caffarelli and Farinelli.

Opera has never shied away from gender bending, and the castrati were the embodiment of this. Castrated as young boys, before reaching puberty, these male singers retained their boyish looks and ability to sing higher-than-usual notes into adulthood. The practice was finally banned in the early 20th century, but it was common to find castrati on stages across Europe in the prior ages. 

Their Master’s Voice is an exploration of the relationship between two of the 18th century’s greatest castrato singers and their teacher, whose efforts catapulted them to stardom.  

MALKOVICH AND BARTOLI 

Fusing acting with singing, the production gives both John Malkovich and Cecilia Bartoli room to shine – and do what they do best.  

See more: Interview: Cecilia Bartoli on taking the Opéra de Monte-Carlo to new heights

Malkovich has spoken of his enthusiasm for this type of production, saying, “To work with musicians and singers is a fascinating challenge I have been taking more and more during the last 15 years and the experience is still amazing and gratifying. As an actor you have to be aware that music will always be stronger than anything you can do on a stage. You could rather walk through a brick wall than play against music, so I love to play around it.” 

Tickets to the performance are almost fully sold-out, so don’t wait any longer to reserve your seat. The last tickets can be found here.  

Read related:

Printemps des Arts 2024: what to expect from the opening days of the festival

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Photo source: Facebook. This article was originally published on 7th March.