Experience the vibrant rhythms of Latin America and the theatrical passion of Spain.
The centrepiece of the evening is Ariel Ramírez’s iconic Misa Criolla. Fusing the text of the Catholic Mass with the propulsive folk traditions of the Andes, it infuses the sacred liturgy with an irresistible, celebratory pulse that moves the body as much as the soul.
The work will be brought to life by Argentine tenor soloist Jonatan Alvarado, a full student choir and traditional South American instruments. Spanish soprano Lorena Paz Nieto will also join Jonatan Alvardo in a selection of dazzling arias and duets from famous Zarzuelas, the beloved Spanish lyric tradition known for its wit and virtuosity.
Leading the performance is Ignacio Pilone, Head of Performing Arts at the Universidad Católica del Uruguay. As a world specialist in Opera and Latin American repertoire, Ignacio brings unrivalled stylistic authenticity and energy to the podium.
We are grateful for the support of Instituto Cervantes in making this concert possible.
Award-winning Spanish soprano Lorena Paz Nieto is a previous winner of the Oxford Lieder Young Artist Platform award, the Ludmilla Andrews Russian Song Prize, and ‘Vocalist of the Year’ at the 2019 LUKAS awards.
Lorena’s recent operatic roles include Norina Don Pasquale and Nanetta Falstaff (West Green House Opera) Susanna Le Nozze di Figaro (West Green House Opera and Opera Project), Lisette La Rondine (West Green House Opera and If Opera), Clorinda La Cenerentola (Nevill Holt Opera), Olga Fedora and Bottle/ Duchess Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (If Opera), Hero Beatrice and Benedict (Mid Wales Opera), Maria Maria de Buenos Aires (Theater Lübeck), Despina Così fan tutte (Opera Project), Berta and Rosina Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Ulster Touring Opera), Amore Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria (The Grange Festival), Musetta La Bohème, Marie La fille du Régiment, Lauretta Gianni Schicchi, Morgana Alcina, Diane Orphée aux Enfers, Pannochka May Night, Drusilla, Fortuna and Pallade L’incoronazione di Poppea.
Notable recital performances have included recitals in the Crush Room and Linbury Foyer at the Royal Opera House, the Oxford International Song Festival, Heidelberger Frühling Festival, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, London Song Festival, Sinfonia Smith Square, Bridgewater Hall Foyer in Manchester, two recitals and a masterclass on Spanish song in Japan, and recently a tour of China visiting ten cities to give recitals, lectures, vocal masterclasses and adjudicating music competitions.
Other recent concert highlights include Britten's orchestral song cycle Our hunting fathers at Sinfonia Smith Square, Handel's Messiah at the Auditorio Nacional in Madrid with the Seville Baroque Orchestra, the world premiere of Richard Blackford’s Babel at Cadogan Hall, as well as Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, Vivaldi's Gloria, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, Tippett's A child of our time, Orff's Carmina Burana, Elgar’s The Kingdom and Monteverdi’s Vespers at The Three Choirs Festival.
Lorena recently released her first solo CD, Cantando a dos poetas, featuring contemporary songs written by Spanish composers which she has toured in Spain and Portugal.
Upcoming engagements include revisiting the role of Marie for Jackdaws, a recital a recital celebrating female Latin composers for Song Easel, role debut Ilia in Mozart’s Idomeneo with Chelsea Opera Group and featuring on a new CD with guitarist Ahmed Dickinson with music by Maria Camahort.
Lorena is an alumna of the National Opera Studio, the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Jonatan Alvarado is a singer and performer of (very) old songs, drawn from medieval and Renaissance manuscripts scattered across the world as well as from the oral traditions of Europe and the Americas. He began his musical path in guitar and choral singing in Mercedes, Buenos Aires, later studying orchestral and choral conducting and composition at the National University of La Plata. In 2011 he moved to the Netherlands, where he graduated with honors in singing and lute at the Amsterdam Conservatory, studying with Xenia Meijer, Fred Jacobs and Rene Genis, and deepened his specialization in early modal repertoire under the guidance of Dr. Rebecca Stewart.
He is co-founder and musical director of Seconda Pratica, dedicated to Ibero-American music from the 15th to the 17th centuries, and is also a member of Sollazzo Ensemble and Concerto di Margherita. He collaborates regularly with lutenist Ariel Abramovich and guitarists Jessica Denys and Samuel Diz. His debut solo album Pajarillos Fugitivos (Ayros, 2018) was nominated for an International Classical Music Award, and his wide-ranging projects—always rooted in historical sources and instruments—span medieval archival recovery to early 20th-century Argentine song, most recently on Voces de Bronce (TRPTK, 2023) and The Huehuetenango Songbook (Glossa, 2024)
