Tenor Celso Albelo to Star in Massenet’s 'Werther' at Croatian National Theatre

Tenerife-born tenor Celso Albelo is enjoying a period of impressive technical maturity, as evidenced by his busy international schedule. After a successful run of performances across Spain, he is now bringing his interpretation of the title role in Jules Massenet’s Werther to the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb.

Albelo will perform the role on April 20, 27, and 29. The production is particularly notable for its set design by Dante Ferretti, the world-renowned film designer known for his work with directors like Martin Scorsese and Federico Fellini. Under the baton of conductor Piero Giorgio Morandi, Albelo will star alongside mezzo-soprano Emilia Rukavina, who plays Charlotte.

For the singer, returning to Werther—a role he first performed in Tenerife in 2016—is a testament to his vocal growth. Albelo notes that his shift toward more dramatic roles by composers like Verdi and Puccini has helped him approach Massenet’s score with greater technical skill and better control over the work’s emotional shifts. He describes the role as a complex balancing act between lyrical vulnerability and heroic strength, particularly in demanding moments like the famous aria "Pourquoi me réveiller."

Albelo’s schedule remains packed. Following a recent performance of Rossini’s Stabat Mater in Budapest, he is set to focus on the works of Verdi. In the coming months, he will perform in Un ballo in maschera for the Amics de s’Òpera de Maó in the Balearic Islands, followed by a highly anticipated turn as Manrico in Il trovatore at the Teatro Real in Madrid. These performances confirm his status as one of Spain’s most prominent voices on the European opera stage.