News & Press
““Hay nombres que resaltan y que tienen su conexión con el mundo crossover.
El más notorio es el de Virginia Bocelli, hija de Andrea Bocelli, quien no solo tiene su debut actoral en esta película, sino que ambos – padre e hija – han contribuido con el soundtrack, lanzando la canción “Dare To Be”. Seguidamente tenemos al aclamado tenor, director de escena y escritor, Rolando Villazón, quién encarna a Enrico DiSalvo, un personaje inspirado en el legendario tenor Enrico Caruso. Por último, la celebrada cantante franco-argentina y fundadora de 360 of Opera, Eugenia Forteza, da vida al personaje de la hermana Umilia (a ella la hemos visto y oído, sin ir más lejos, en el Blueberry Fest de hace unos años).”
“There are names that stand out and have their connection to the classical crossover world. Virginia Bocelli, daughter of Andrea Bocelli, makes her acting debut in this film, as well as contributing with her father to the soundtrack of the movie with the song “Dare to Be”. Then, we have the celebrated tenor, stage director and writer, Rolando Villazón, who plays Enrico DiSalvo, a character inspired by the legendary Enrico Caruso. Finally, we have the celebrated French-Argentinean singer and founder of 360° of Opera, Eugenia Forteza, who brings the character of Sister Umilia to life (we have seen and heard her at the Blueberry Fest a couple of years ago)”.
“Much of the success of this beautiful film is due to the gorgeous cinematography, the marvelous acting and the terrific music, including a moving duet by Andrea Bocelli and his daughter Virginia, all of which was lauded at the star-studded premiere on Saturday, February 24 at the United Artists King of Prussia.”
”Cabrini’s fortitude and determination is this generation’s Rocky Balboa, but with a nun’s habit, and whose story is not some fictional character but the real deal.
Cabrini is a testament to the transformative power of one woman’s determination to make a difference despite overwhelming negative circumstances.”
“Shot on location in Italy and Buffalo, New York, the “Cabrini” cast was led by Cristiana Dell’Anna as Mother Cabrini..
Others in the cast included David Morse as Archbishop Corrigan, Giancarlo Giannini as Pope Leo XIII, John Lithgow as Mayor Gould, Giampiero Judica as Father Morelli and Eugenia Forteza as Sister Umilia.”
“Magnificent voices emerged from a unique concert entitled “The 10 Faces of Maria Callas”, co-organized by the Consulate General of New York with Teatro Grattacielo, supported by the Camerata Bardi Vocal Academy, to celebrate the 100th birthday of the iconic Greek soprano.
Young solo artists such as Greek-American Melina Jaharis, Stephanie Rivero, Sasha Gutierrez, Samuel White, Victoria Davis and Eugenia Forteza, embodying the spirit of Maria Callas with their own unique and distinctive style and artistry in music, they passionately performed beloved arias. Also, pianist Alla Milchtein accompanied the soloists throughout the concert, ensuring a seamless blend of voices and accompaniment.”
“The Consulate General of Greece in New York and Teatro Grattacielo presented ‘The 10 Faces of Maria Callas’ on November 16 at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York City. .
The event celebrated iconic soprano Maria Callas in honor of the centennial of her birth […]
The talented artists, sopranos Sasha Gutiérrez, Stephanie Rivero, and Victoria Davis; mezzo sopranos Melina Jaharis and Eugenia Forteza; tenor Samuel White, and pianist Alla Milchtein, impressed the audience with their performance.”
— Eleni Sakellis, The National Herald
“Eugenia Forteza, in the role of Lola, navigated the limitations of her stage time, crafting a portrayal of a flirtatious yet superficial charmer. In the opera’s prelude, the opening scene unfolds with Turiddu and Lola immersed in an intimate exchange. Here, Forteza aptly embodied the role of the coquette, skillfully vacillating between yielding to Turiddu’s advances and teasingly rebuffing them. Her interpretation of Lola painted a picture of a capricious and inconsiderate character, oblivious to the repercussions of her flirtations. Forteza’s performance was marked by a thoughtful use of space and gesture, coupled with her expressive singing, vividly conveying Lola’s persona.”
— Chris Ruel, Operawire
“Fête de la Musique 2023: @artivistas.paris, @360ofopera et @bareopera s’unissent pour fêter la musique avec des morceaux célèbres d’opéra, tango, zarzuela et broadway interprétés par la mezzo-soprano franco-argentine Eugenia Forteza et la pianiste franco-italienne Laetitia Ruccolo.”
“Fête de la Musique 2023: @artivistas.paris, @360ofopera and @bareopera join forces to celebrate music with showpieces from opera, tango, zarzuela and broadway performed by French-Argentinean mezzo-soprano Eugenia Forteza and French-Italian pianist Laetitia Ruccolo.”
“The entire day was a reminder of the many ways in which opera is continuously evolving through the relentless work of those who believe in such efforts. The most memorable part of the day was the roundtable discussion, where speakers were asked specific questions pertaining to opera and feminism. What follows are ideas that resonated most with this writer during the roundtable. There was a lot more said; however, these are some moments that provoked thought about operatic feminism’s significance as a whole.
Speaking to this idea of creative activism were the women at Gabrielle Ferrari’s “Roundtable: Rethinking Women in Opera, On- and Off-stage”: Eugenia Forteza (founder, host, and lead editor: 360° of Opera), Megan Gillis (co-founder, Executive Director, City Lyric Opera), Anne Midgette (classical music critic, form. Washington Post and The New York Times), Niloufar Nourbakhsh (composer, Co-Director, Iranian Female Composers Association), and Tanner Porter (composer, “The Boughs”).
— Jennifer Pyron, Operawire
Eugenia is included in OPERA Charm Magazine’s Special Edition celebrating Women in Opera.
“Opera on Tap has announced the winner of its Tik Tok Composition Competition.
Laura Jobin-Acosta’s “I Am Lying in the Bed” won. Vocalist Eugenia Forteza performed the work.”
— Chris Ruel, Operawire
“The Rape Of Lucretia – written in a more demanding style than Britten’s popular Peter Grimes (1945) – is the home-grown ensemble’s most ambitious production to date. The set is more extensive, the costumes more elaborate, and two international singers are being flown in for the first time – French-Argentinian mezzo-soprano Eugenia Forteza, who plays Lucretia, and Ukrainian baritone Igor Mostovoi, who will be Tarquinius.
The Opera People was founded in 2018 by David Charles Tay, his twin brother Jonathan Charles Tay, and Shridar Mani, who want to make opera more relevant to modern-day audiences in Singapore.”
— Toh Wen Li, The Straits Times
“The Rape of Lucretia” by The Opera People, feature on the Singapore Chinese newspaper.
— October 2022
“Gentle solo piano opens this short number that put Forteza in the spotlight. Forteza sang with nuance and brought out the dark tones in her voice to match the text’s subject. Cabaniss called for solo piano to back the singer, and Rosenmeyer led Forteza through the darkness. […]
Rosenmeyer had a very light touch on the keys, and Forteza and the pianist were very much in synch. This is notable because overall, the piano line was sparse—sounding notes before going silent as Forteza took over. When the two entered together, if they were off by smidge, it would’ve been noticeable. This was an exceptional example of a pianist and vocalist acting in tight concert (no pun) with each other.”
— Chris Ruel, Operawire
“Forteza’s earthy lower range and clear, crisp middle-and upper played and intersected with the text. Cabaniss used jaunty, fun rhythm when the text speaks of dancers and mirth. Big chords grounded the piece and rippling glissandos embellished the harmony joyously. Forteza matched the mood and text with excitement, expectancy, and anticipation.”
— Chris Ruel, Operawire
“Mezzo-soprano Eugenia Forteza charmed with her Cherubino, whipping through the Allegro Vivace, “Non so più cosa son,” her diction clear as a bell through such a fast passage and she showed fearlessness in this tricky, high tessitura number that reaches above the stave. Forteza selected for her second song, “Somewhere,” from “West Side Story.” It’s fitting that my review ends with this song. Yes, it’s a love song—one that’s hopeful as it looks toward the future. Forteza’s performance had a yearning for peace and reconciliation, and soared toward that place, toward somewhere where we can find that “new way of living.”
— Chris Ruel, Operawire
“The lighter pieces we mentioned earlier were eagerly greeted as they provided some relief from the sad and the serious. The lovely young mezzo Eugenia Forteza made a charming and believable Cherubino as she performed "Non so piu cosa son" from Mozart's Nozze di Figaro. We have watched Ms. Forteza for a number of years and take particular delight in her artistic growth. This aria should definitely be her signature piece. Were we auditioning we would definitely give her the part!
She also sang "Somewhere" from Bernstein's West Side Story which the program notes indicated was a "dreamlike world of peace"--something we all are wishing for.”
“The selections from Queen of Spades were performed by Zoya Gramagin as Lisa and Eugenia Forteza as Polina and tenor Mikhail Urusov. The two women have very different voices and our favorite piece was their duet. […]
Ms. Forteza's solo aria could not have been better.”
— Voce di Meche
“Next was the “Duet of Lisa and Polina,” sung by soprano Zoya Gramagin, and mezzo-soprano Eugenia Forteza. This brief number carried with a lighthearted rhythm matched by the ease of Gramagin and Forteza’s phrases as they outlined the beauty of the evening countryside. These idyllic feelings were soon underscored with Forteza’s rendition of “Polina’s Romance,” where the dismal, repeating chords of the accompaniment were fittingly joined by the tragic, lyrical quality she used in relating her own tale of love gone wrong.”
— Logan Martell, Operawire
“Slack didn’t hold back, giving an object lesson in vocal and acting technique to the audience and the artists watching her.
A wonderful example of the same approach came from mezzo-soprano Eugenia Forteza, whose acting ability I have praised before and has only grown stronger since I last reviewed her in 2019. For the gala, Forteza sang “Oh, pallida,” from Mascagni’s “L’Amico Fritz,” during which she thoroughly channeled Beppe, Fritz’s gypsy violinist sidekick. Beppe is a trouser role in the spirit of Cherubino (though with far less stage time), and Forteza brought the energy of the character into the open through her compelling vocal and physical expression. Teatro Grattacielo will be presenting the “L’Amico Fritz”
later this fall.”
— Chris Ruel, Operawire
“Singer, actor, model, influencer, and writer Eugenia Forteza was born in France, moved to Buenos Aires as a child, and grew up with a bilingual, bicultural education. Her versatility and enterprising spirit brought her to the United States at the age of 19 and catapulted her onto the innovative, independent New York City opera scene. Trendy and tech-savvy, this multitalented artist spoke to me about her unconventional path and about what it takes to be a performing artist in today’s digitally reliant world.”
— Interview by Maria-Cristina Necula, Woman Around Town
EUGENIA FORTEZA: “SER ARTISTA ES UNA MANERA DE VER EL MUNDO”
(Being an Artist is a Way of Seeing the World)
— Reportaje exclusivo por Liliana Devesa, La Revista - Bancarios del Provincia
"Under the leadership of Artistic Director Stefanos Koroneos, Teatro Grattacielo assembled a sterling company of artists for this Fedora, both perpetuating the company’s legacy of savvy casting and demonstrating that present hardships have only galvanized musicians’ dedication to their craft. The brief song of the piccolo savoiardo in Act Three exemplified this spirit of reawakening, the lines voiced with an apt aura of bright-toned innocence by soprano Kinneret Ely that contrasted tellingly with mezzo-soprano Eugenia Forteza’s urgent singing of the traumatized Dimitri’s responses to Fedora’s interrogation in Act One."
— Joseph Newsome, Voix des Arts
"Eugenia Forteza, mezzo-soprano and founder of 360º of Opera, talked about the challenges and success that she has had through out. She gives a positive viewpoint on an overwhelming situation and remains confident that opera and the arts have a place in this new world."
— Timothy Bostwick, Voices of Covid - NATS
"Eugenia may well be the busiest woman in classical music. From #MariaMondays to the 360° of Opera Awards, Eugenia and the 360 team have their finger on the pulse of what’s trending in opera and are leading the charge in bringing opera to the public through engaging content that’s fun, relevant, and lifestyle-based."
— Alyssa Martin, Ossia Op. Culture
"And the big and devoted eyes of mezzo-soprano Eugenia Forteza built her character and defined her role before she sang her first tune. [...] Forteza and soprano Kinneret Ely in their shorter roles also bring an absolutely special sound into the cold surrounding."
— Polina Lyapustina, Operawire
"Singer, actor, model, and entrepreneur, Eugenia Forteza is a beautiful and charming young Argentinian-French woman living in New York City. Although she is a super busy and an extremely accomplished artist, Eugenia Forteza took time out of her day to share with me her story of immigration to the United States from Argentina, and spoke about the powerful multicultural aspect of opera in her life. Described as a “total diva on stage,” by Mario Arevalo, I was delighted and humbled that Eugenia shared her warm personality and enthusiasm for music with me."
— Clara Sherwood, Migrating Stories
"It needs to be stressed that “Mother Goose” is an ensemble work, and the entire cast had moments in which they sparkled. But, the evening belonged to three outstanding performers: bass-baritone Jonathan Harris in drag as Fairy Godmother, mezzo-soprano Allison Gish as Leonora Goosling, and mezzo-soprano Eugenia Forteza as Ugly Duckling. [...]
Forteza displayed solid acting chops, relishing her role as the overly precious pop diva who had no real friends but a lot of social media followers. Her voice sparkled like the sequins on Duckling’s skirt and Forteza’s antics as the doomed duckling brought out plenty of laughs.
She, like Harris and Gish, had her comedic timing down pat."
— Chris Ruel, Operawire
"Eugenia Forteza es una cantante, actriz y modelo francoargentina, que actualmente se encuentra residiendo en Nueva York. Ella es la fundadora de la página 360 of Ópera, un perfil en Instagram dedicado a la difusión de toda clase de eventos de ópera (desde el MET Ópera hasta en lugares públicos y gratuitos). Apoyada por diversos cantantes que hoy conforman la cúpula de figuras actuales de la lírica, Eugenia siente que la ópera es un mundo en donde ella se siente plena y con libertad.”
('“Eugenia Forteza is a French-Argentinean singer, actor and model , who currently lives in NYC. She is the founder of 360 of Opera, an Instagram page dedicated to promoting all sorts of events in the opera world (from the Met Opera to free concerts in public spaces). Having the support of many of the top opera singers today, Eugenia finds that opera is a world where she feels full and free.")
— Luciano Ayala, Blueberry Música
"Then we traveled to Spain with the incredible voice of Eugenia Forteza. When I start talking and writing about this singer, I always get blown away by her artistry and her surprising choice of nontraditional repertoire; it is sublime. I am a native Spanish speaker and to hear another singer singing in my mother tongue, not only makes me proud, but it also shows me the hard work singers puts into their performance.
Each song was sung with different accents according to where the songs were written. In the aria “Lagrimas mías" or "Tears" from Miguel Marques' zarzuela El Anillo de Hierro, Ms. Forteza sounded radiant throughout with wonderful legato lines and impressive breath control. I always have asked myself how such a tiny singer can produce such a big sound. Ms. Forteza is a total diva on stage; she devours the stage; she knows every single hand move, facial expression and body movement she wants in her interpretations.
“Morenica me llaman" from Il Postino by Daniel Catan was also very impressive. Ms. Forteza showed us yet more colors in her voice. We were blown away by her vocal and theatrical abilities. I think it is very difficult singing in your own tongue but Ms. Forteza took this bull by its tail. Singing in her own mother tongue seems to be the easiest thing for her. Her showcasing of Carlos Guastavino songs “Bonita rama de sauce” (Pretty Willow Branch) and “Hermano” (Brother) from the song cycle Doce canciones populares were two songs that were dear to me. I am a huge fan of Guastavino and when I hear someone singing with such exquisite phrasing, great diction and musicality, it makes my heart pound. Ms. Forteza should give us a full concert of Guastavinos songs since she is a pure Argentinian interpreter."
— Mario Arevalo, Voce di Meche
"Mes coups de coeur: […] L’aria ‘Lágrimas mías’ (de la zarzuela El Anillo de Hierro, de Miguel Marqués) dont la mezzo-soprano Eugenia Forteza, nous a donné une vibrante interprétation aidée de sa puissante voix.”
“My favorites: […] The aria "Lágrimas mías" (of the zarzuela The ring of iron, by Miguel Marqués), sung by mezzo-soprano Eugenia Forteza, who gave us a vibrant interpretation assisted by her powerful voice.”
— Daniel Raymond, Atuvu.ca
"As Duchess Carolina, Eugenia Forteza embodied this persona. Although there were no costumes, she appeared to have stepped out of a Goya portrait–Cayetana in the flesh–and I mean that as a compliment. Her stance, her expressions, her “look” fit the character of quasi decadent nobility".
— Celeste Mann, Deslumbrar