A LOVE SO GREAT – extraordinary concert with tenor Ștefan von Korch and soprano Nicoleta Maier

May 21, 2025, at 7:00 PM

Student Culture House in Iași

May brings opera and operetta lovers in Iași the opportunity to meet two prominent names of the local lyrical stage: on May 21, tenor Ștefan von Korch and soprano Nicoleta Maier present, on the stage of the Student Culture House in Iași, the concert “A LOVE SO GREAT,” which showcases all facets of love through carefully selected musical gems from the lyrical repertoire and beyond.

Tenor Ștefan von Korch details: "We will musically explore love in all the forms in which composers of classical music have made it known: from fulfilled love in 'The Merry Widow' to forbidden and desperate love in 'Romeo and Juliet', as well as romantic and naive love in 'Let Me Sing.' We will plant in the hearts of the audience a multitude of states, feelings, and experiences, as intense as the rebirth of nature in the heart of spring. Therefore, I invite you to enjoy spring and music in a concert where the emotion will reach high levels, just as it always happens in opera performances."

Sequences filled with love, passion, and the joy of reunion will be interpreted by the two soloists, in a program of arias and duets that will make the audience forget about everyday life and lose themselves in the nets of love and the sound universe of famous operas and operettas, as well as in the chords of some pop opera pieces with absolute romanticism.

About the protagonists

** Ștefan von Korch – Tenor **

With exponential evolution, both nationally and internationally, Ștefan von Korch started the year on the stage of the Transylvania State Philharmonic in Carmina Burana, his “signature” work, continued at the National Opera of Iași in the role of Camille de Jolidon in “The Merry Widow 2.0” directed by Andrei Șerban, and also in the series of concerts Musical Extravaganza, for which he is the soloist-host and artistic coordinator.

Ștefan von Korch concluded 2024 with significant appearances at the National Theater of Operetta and Musical Ion Dacian, at the Palace Hall, and at the Philharmonics in Târgu Mureș and Timișoara; during the summer, he debuted in Carmina Burana at the Palermo Clasica Festival and in a grand concert in Spain. Also in the past year, he performed on the stage of the Philharmonic in Târgu Mureș the vocal-symphonic work Stabat Mater by G. Rossini, considered a demonstration of virtuosity for any tenor, and the work Lobgesang by F. Mendelssohn. He was invited to the Opera in Iași, in the bubbly role of Camille de Jolidon in the Merry Widow 2.0 directed by Andrei Șerban and at the Romanian Opera in Timișoara in the staging of The Merry Widow signed by Mario Di Carlo.

In 2023, the tenor made the hearts of the spectators vibrate with masterful interpretations of the score specific to his voice from Carmina Burana, for which he is considered a benchmark, and was the only Romanian soloist in a tour of 27 cities in China. Other milestones in his career include prominent roles in operas and operettas presented on the biggest stages in Romania: "The Barber of Seville," "The Elixir of Love," and "Falstaff" (National Opera Bucharest), "Rigoletto," “Don Pasquale," "The Merry Widow," and "The Merry Widow 2.0" (National Opera of Iași), "I Puritani" (national premiere), "Rigoletto," and "The Barber of Seville" (Romanian Opera Cluj-Napoca) among others.

Nicoleta Maier – Soprano

With a refined presence and lyrical qualities that impress the audience, Nicoleta Maier is a soloist at the National Opera of Iași, where she can be applauded in “The Merry Widow 2.0,” “The Barber of Seville,” “Carmen,” and many others. She is a graduate of the bachelor's and master’s degrees from the "Gheorghe Dima" Music Academy in Cluj-Napoca, also benefiting from the "Lucia Stănescu" scholarship. Subsequently, she continued her advanced studies at the “Odeio Athenaeum Maria Callas” Conservatory in Athens, under the tutelage of the legendary soprano Marina Krilovici. Her debut was on the stage of the Cluj Opera in her first year of the master’s program in the role of Nedda from the opera Pagliacci by R. Leoncavallo, followed by roles such as Mimì from La Bohème, Liu from Turandot, Hanna Glawari from The Merry Widow, etc.
Awards enrich the artistic repertoire, being a laureate with First Prize at the "Sabin Drăgoi" Competition; the "Union of Composers and Musicologists" Award in Romania at the Romanian Lied Festival; the Melos Award at the International Singing Competition "Vox Artis"; the Jury's Award at the "Hariclea Darclee" Festival, etc.
She has collaborated with relevant institutions from the country and abroad: the Philharmonics in Sibiu, Cluj, Bacău, Botoșani, Iași, the Nuremberg Opera, Chișinău, Goldoni Theater – Livorno, Bucharest Opera, Cluj Opera, Hungarian Opera, Nae Leonard Theater – Galați, Romanian Athenaeum, and others.

Nicoleta Maier followed intensive singing studies with the famous soprano Marina Krilovici at the Odeio Athenaeum "Maria Callas" under the guidance of a devoted teacher, university professor Dr. Elena Andries during her master’s years at the "Gheorghe Dima" Music Academy in Cluj. Soprano Nicoleta Maier acted as First Soprano at the "Nae Leonard" National Opera and Operetta Theater from June 2013 until February 2018 in Galați, Romania.

About the season Musical Extravaganza

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