Composer

Composed in the 1960s and premiered in 1994, Babel 46 unfolds in a refugee camp in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War. As displaced inmates await repatriation, each clings to an elaborate story designed to conceal a painful or dangerous truth. They sing in their own languages - Italian, French, Spanish, English, Portuguese, and Hebrew - forming a modern Tower of Babel where fractured identities collide. Raw, immediate, and deeply human, this gripping “neo-verismo” drama reflects the composer’s admiration for Giacomo Puccini, Gian Carlo Menotti, and Benjamin Britten, blending lyrical intensity with stark theatrical realism.

Xavier Montsalvatge’s Babel 46

Town Hall Theater

Three-time Grammy Award-winning artist Isabel Leonard has established herself as one of the most in-demand performers as a star on the world’s leading stages and screens. The 2024 – 2025 season sees Ms. Leonard’s much anticipated return to Opéra National de Paris as Rosina in Damiano Michieletto’s production of Il barbiere di Siviglia, conducted by Diego Matheuz, and her house debut with Gran Teatre del Liceu as Anita in a concert performance of Bernstein’s West Side Story, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. Ms. Leonard also returns to Houston Grand Opera to sing Angelina in Joan Font’s production of Cenerentola and for her directorial debut leading the HGO Family Day production of Cinderella, as well as her return to The Metropolitan Opera as Rosina in Bartlett Sher’s celebrated production of Il barbiere di Siviglia. Orchestral appearances include performances of Les Nuits d’été with Kevin John Edusei conducting the New York Philharmonic, and Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony conducted by music director Courtney Lewis. Ms. Leonard also continues her collaboration with guitarist Pablo Sáinz Villegas, performing their all-Spanish program at the Gallo Center for the Performing arts, and appears in recital with Matinee Musicale in Cincinnati, OH, Teatro de la Ciudad in Monterrey, Mexico, Sala Sao Paulo, and Teatro Municipal de Río de Janeiro.

EPSG:4326

Isabel Leonard, mezzo-soprano and John Arida, piano

560 Music Center

Lyric Opera soloists of the Teatro alla Scala Academy

Teatro alla Scala

Our concerts are open to our community! Please pay whatever you think is fair, considering the value of the concert to you, as well as your own ability to pay. Scroll down to learn more and purchase tickets.

Season Finale Concert

The Gamm Theatre

Study concert with voice students under Helene Gjerris

Study concert with voice students

The Studio Hall

Isabel Valasek is a soprano based in Pittsburgh, PA. She is studying under Sari Gruber at Carnegie Mellon University, where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Vocal Performance, a certification in Music Education and a minor in Drama. This year in Carnegie Mellon Opera, Isabel performed as Lucy in “The Telephone” by Menotti and will also be in scenes such as singing Adele in “Die Fledermaus” by Johann Strauss II, Lucy in "The Three Penny Opera" by Kurt Weill and Idamante in “Idomeneo” by Mozart. She was previously a soloist in Carnegie Mellon University’s fully staged production of “Considering Matthew Shepard” by Craig Hella Johnson and was a cover for Despina in Mozart’s “Così fan tutte”.

Student Recital: Isabel Valasek

Carnegie Mellon University

Experience the monumental power of Beethoven's 9th Symphony at the prestigious Auditorio Nacional de Música de Madrid. This extraordinary concert, part of the Ibermúsica 2023-2024 season, is set to take place on Monday, 11th December 2023, at 19:30h. 

The evening promises an unforgettable auditory journey, featuring the Orfeón Donostiarra choir and the Orquesta ADDA Sinfónica, under the baton of the renowned conductor Josep Vicent. The program will open with Montsalvatge's "Canto espiritual de Joan Maragall para coro y orquesta," setting the stage for the main highlight, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, a masterpiece that continues to inspire and move audiences worldwide.

This concert is not just a performance but a dedication, a celebration of musical genius, and an invitation to experience the universal message of joy and brotherhood that Beethoven's 9th Symphony embodies. 

Please note that tickets are no longer available for this event, indicating the high demand and anticipation for this musical evening. For those who have secured their seats, it's an opportunity to be part of a memorable night that promises to be a highlight of the cultural calendar in Madrid.

For further details and to download the concert program, visit the Ibermúsica website. Join us for an evening that celebrates the enduring power of Beethoven's music, performed by some of the most talented artists in the classical music world.

Beethoven's 9th Symphony

National Music Auditorium

Premiered in Barcelona in 1948, and rarely performed, this age-old children’s story tells of the wealth-seeking, match-making cat who, in return for a hat, a sword and a pair of boots, secures for his young master (a lowly miller) a kingdom and a royal marriage to a princess, tricking a slow-witted ogre out of his castle along the way.

From its opening Montsalvatge’s music is energetic, tuneful and full of catchy rhythms, lush melodies and feline musical effects!

El Gato con Botas

Center Stage Theatre

Sandro Gegechkori, Piano

The Juilliard School

El Gato con Botas (Puss in Boots) is a one-act opera by Spanish composer Xavier Montsalvatge with libretto by Néstor Luján, based on the classic tale by Charles Perrault. Perfect for audiences of all ages, this charming story follows a clever and adventurous cat who, in exchange for a hat, sword, and boots, sets out to secure a kingdom and a bride for his humble master. The score is filled with lively Spanish rhythms and lyrical, colorful melodies, creating a playful and engaging theatrical experience.

Composer

Xavier Montsalvatge

Events

Upcoming events

7 - 15 Nov, 2026

El Gato con Botas (Puss in Boots) · Arizona Opera

Past events

12 - 14 Jun, 2026

Xavier Montsalvatge’s Babel 46 · Opera Company of Middlebury

Mar 29, 2026

Isabel Leonard, mezzo-soprano and John Arida, piano · Washington University in St. Louis Department of Music

About

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