At the age of 20, the Cathedra association entrusted her with the responsibility of singing Vivaldi’s “Nisi Dominus” on Tuesday June 25 in the Notre-Dame church (1): one of the composer’s most moving scores Italian, known in particular for its use in cinema (“Home”, by Yann Arthus-Bertrand among others). Bordelaise Amandine Portelli should confirm on this occasion all the good things that have been thought of her for almost two years. Since she was awarded a prize at the prestigious Béziers competition, or selected to join the Bordeaux Opera Academy, then that of the Paris Opera at the start of the 2024 school year.
His qualities ? “It’s a contralto, but it remains bright in the bass. She has great potential and is a hard worker,” said Alexis Duffaure, artistic director of Cathedra. He had time to spot her talents since he was already directing her when she was 9 years old, in the girls’ choir of the Maîtrise de Bordeaux.
When most children her age were listening to Rihanna or Mr. Pokora, Amandine Portelli was already singing baroque or film music. Atypical ? She smiles: “In my family, we are all music lovers. For us, singing is a tradition. And then what interested me, as an only child, was life in a group, learning from others. Singing is the school of life. »
Only Frenchwoman at the Academy
Round face, laughing eyes, she tells how what was initially an extracurricular activity became a passion. The enthusiasm that Alexis Duffaure instilled in her – “we want to be like him” – then the contribution of Maryse Castets, the professor at the Bordeaux conservatory who, before her, trained figures of opera like Florian Sempey or Adriana Bignani-Lesca. “It’s fortunate to have such an artistic home here, also with Stanislas de Barbeyrac and Aude Extremo. »
Being a professional too, she started to believe in it around 16-17 years old, when Salvatore Caputo, the director of the Opera Choir, called on her for Mozart’s Requiem in 2020, followed, in 2022, by by Raphaël Pichon in Bach’s “Magnificat”. So many experiences which opened the way for him to debut at the Opéra Garnier in 2023 in Ravel’s “L’Enfant et les sortilèges”, and from there to join the Paris Opera Academy. There are only five singers to join the company in the fall of 2024. And Amandine Portelli is the only Frenchwoman.
Stay baroque
It comes out of the Bordeaux cocoon, therefore, and with a baroque color which has dominated its musical orientations. “I definitely want to continue singing baroque, but I also want to try other repertoires. For the Béziers competition, I sang Mozart, Ravel, Tchaikovsky and Gounod and it succeeded. »
But on June 25, with Vivaldi and Les Surprises, another baroque composer and ensemble will be on the program. “The “Nisi Dominus” is quite virtuoso but there are also very stretched moments. I never sang it. This will be an additional step in my journey. Vivaldi had composed it for the young girls who sang under his direction. I will sing it directed by Alexis Duffaure. » A good way to say goodbye to Bordeaux, but certainly not goodbye.
(1) 8:30 p.m. 15 to 40 euros – cathedra.fr
