Albane Carrère
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Albane Carrère, and I am a mezzo-soprano, which is the intermediate female vocal range. I was born in Vienna (Austria) but trained in Brussels, first at the European School and then at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. There, I learned several languages, which sparked my curiosity for different cultures. I studied sociology at university and wrote a thesis on opera careers. I then worked at the Brussels Conservatory and later at the Rouen Opera, where I was the only mezzo-soprano soloist. This allowed me to experience the stage intensely for two years.
Afterward, roles started coming one after another in various places (Brussels, Tours, Toulon, Lyon, Bordeaux), and my career expanded to Italy (Catania, Trieste). I also went on tours in Japan and China, and my career gradually developed internationally.
When was the first time you visited Kosovo?
I came to Kosovo for the first time a year ago to sing Rossini’s Stabat Mater with the Kosovo Philharmonic and the Thessaloniki Choir. I have very fond memories of this concert, thanks to the warm welcome from the locals and the festival organizers. I had the chance to sing with a local soprano, Besa Llugiqi, and the Kosovo Orchestra.
Every project we undertake as opera singers is different, as everything depends on the people we meet. In Kosovo, it was certainly different because the language is unfamiliar to me. However, music is a universal language: whether one is Kosovar, Anglo-Saxon, Italian, or German, we always find common ground through music.
When was the last time you visited Kosovo?
Hayrulla Syla (PriFest Artistic Director) attended the concert last year and was very pleased with it. He wanted to invite me again, especially since I had recently released the album Il est quelqu’un sur Terre. We created a mixed program based on this album while collaborating with musicians from Kosovo. We met and prepared the repertoire together, and it went very well. They really appreciated the new repertoire, and the audience responded warmly, making it a very enjoyable experience.
I will return on November 13 to perform Rossini’s Stabat Mater again, this time with the Kosovo Philharmonic Choir.
Would you like to share an anecdote with us?
What strikes me about Kosovo is the generosity of its people. The organizers warmly invited us to share meals with them. There is genuine enthusiasm and a lot of open-mindedness. I found the personalities here to be very kind and generous.
You may also like
Sébastien Gricourt
