CARUSO – From aria to canzonetta and tarantella, in a show inspired by the voices that made history

March 4, 2026 at 7:00 PM

Dalles Hall Bucharest

Tenor ŞTEFAN von KORCH, host soloist of the Musical Extravaganza season, brings the essence of the Italian lyrical repertoire to the stage of Dalles Hall, in the "Caruso" concert – a show inspired by the legendary voices of the greatest tenors of all time. The central figure evoked is that of Enrico Caruso, who left their mark on the evolution of lyricism, influencing the art of interpretation and countless generations of soloists.

Tenor Ștefan von Korch, artistic coordinator of the concept, says: “Enrico Caruso wrote important pages in the history of vocal interpretation. We invite you to celebrate together moments from the history of opera and to remember the legendary voices. The concert is a tribute to the beauty of interpretation and musicality in its subtlety and depth."

The program brings together the most beloved pages from the Italian lyrical repertoire, a musical journey that starts from the opera aria and culminates in the charm of Neapolitan melodies, bringing to the public the emotion, passion and brilliance of "Bel Canto," in an event dedicated to those who love music and its untold stories.

A concept for passionate music lovers, "Caruso" will be an evening of the sublime in which tenor Ștefan von Korch will stop time with his voice in sound snapshots of unspeakable purity and nobility, tenor Mihai Urzicana will enrich the register of the show with solemn arias, and together they will reveal the playful and sparkling spirit of the canzonetta and tarantella.

ABOUT THE SOLOISTS

** Ştefan von Korch – Tenor, solist gazdă  **

Tenor Ştefan von Korch is appreciated monthly by the audience as a guest soloist and artistic coordinator of the Musical Extravaganza season, a pioneering cultural project carried out in the capital, with extensions on the stages of Brașov, Pitești, Sibiu and Craiova. 

With a dynamic presence in national and international cultural life, Ştefan von Korch performed in 2025 in Central America, in the concerts of great tradition "Los Tres Tenores," debuted at the Romanian Athenaeum in "Concert at the Imperial Court," performed his signature score from Carmina Burana at the Philharmonic Orchestras of Cluj-Napoca, Arad and Târgu-Mureş and was applauded at the National Opera in Iași in "The Merry Widow 2.0," directed by Andrei Şerban.

It is the unmistakable voice for the tenor line from Carmina Burana – a passage at the limit of the male voice's capabilities, through whose interpretation he navigates with overflowing ease. Thanks to the manner of interpreting this work, he was invited to over 40 performances of Carmina Burana, in the Philharmonic Orchestras and Cultural Institutions in the country, but also abroad, in 2024 he had the honor of opening the Palermo Classica Festival in this work, with an acclaimed appearance in the press from the peninsula and Romania alike.

His name is also linked to over 15 performances at the Bucharest National Opera where he was invited over time in "The Barber of Seville," "The Elixir of Love" and "Falstaff," but also to the national premiere of the opera "I Puritani," by Vicenzo Belinni, one of the highest scores written for a male voice.

He ended the year 2024 with notable appearances at the Ion Dacian National Operetta and Musical Theatre, at the Sala Palatului and at the Philharmonic Orchestras in Târgu-Mureș and Timișoara. 

In 2023, he was the only Romanian soloist in the China Tour 2023, alongside the Reino de Aragon Orchestra from Spain.

He delighted the audience with his voice in 3 national premieres: "I Puritani" and "La Sonnambula," both by Vicenzo Bellini, the vocal-symphonic work "Messa di Gloria" by Rossini, but also in the European premiere of "Traiano in Dacia."

 Over time, he has interpreted the specific roles of his voice from the very well-known operas: "Rigoletto", "The Barber of Seville", "The Elixir of Love", "Don Pasquale", on the stages of the Operas in Bucharest, Cluj and Iași and is a constant presence on the stages of national philharmonics, "Requiem" by Mozart, „Christmas Oratorio" by Bach and „Longesangt" by Mendelssohn.

Internationally, he has performed at the Metropolitan Concert Hall Tokyo, Zhuhai Opera House, Nanjing Poly Grand Theatre and Chongqing Grand Theatre, Opera Kaiserslautern Germany, Teatro Verdi Padua Italy, Zurich Academy of Music Concert Hall, National Theatre Bratislava.

Mihai Urzicana – Tenor

As a soloist of the only Operetta and Musical Theatre in Bucharest, tenor Mihai Urzicana shines in operettas such as „The Circus Princess" or „The Gypsy Baron."

Mihai Urzicana is also a soloist of the Armonia Choir from Constanța, an ensemble with which he has performed concerts around the world (England, Ireland, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Spain, Ukraine, Serbia, Bosnia, Poland, Switzerland, Israel, etc.) and has won Gold Medals at choral world competitions in the U.S.A., Latvia, Austria, Germany, Russia.

As an opera soloist, tenor Mihai Urzicana has won numerous national and international awards: First Prize at the National Music Interpretation Competition Mihail Jora, First Prize at the National Competition Opera Start, Second Prize and Audience Award at L'Assoluta Virginia Zeani – The International Grand Prix of Romania – Tg. Mureș, Second Prize – International Competition Vox Artis – Sibiu and is a constant presence on concert stages and on the stages of musical theaters in the country and abroad.

Tenor Mihai Urzicana benefits from the guidance of personalities of the world lyrical art, such as: Liora Maurer and Lucy Arner – Metropolitan Opera New York, baritone George Petean and director Sharon Mohar – Les Maîtres Sonneurs – France.

He is a master's graduate of the National University of Music Bucharest, the Orthodox Theological Seminary of Constanța, and the Faculty of Theology, Sacred Art and Pastoral Sections.

About the season Musical Extravaganza

The concerts are intended to offer the public the joy of meeting representative names of the lyrical scene, in a more intimate setting, which offers a different perspective on the artistic act compared to that of the imposing opera stage, but also to bring the classical genre closer to the audience of all ages.  Spectators are invited to admire their favorite soloists in a select atmosphere, complemented by a chamber accompaniment, which highlights the performers in a warm and personal light.

The first Musical Extravaganza season, held under the artistic direction of tenor Ştefan von Korch, included over 10 successful concerts, in which the following artists delighted the audience, together with the host soloist: soprano Cristina Maria Oltean, soprano Daniela Bucşan, tenor Alin Stoica, baritones Adrian Mărcan, Lucian Petrean and Fang Shuang, pianist Alexandru Burcă, accordionist Emy Drăgoi, pianist Bogdana Cocîrlea, and the Orchestra of the Ion Dacian National Operetta and Musical Theatre – in a salon format.