Tenor Arthur Espiritu triumphed as The Prince in the Dvorak opera Rusalka with soprano Serenad Uyar in the title role staged middle of May at Opera de Massy, the youngest opera house in France.
What’s remarkable about his performance is that the tenor sang the part not in French or German but in Czech!
The tenor found the French critics quite positive and supportive. “I felt great after getting great cheers and bravos from the audience. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to bring this layered and heartbreaking character to life. I would like to thank everyone who made this production possible.”
French critic Olga Szymczyk wrote: “Arthur Espiritu (as The Prince) is compelling in his wounded sincerity. His voice, clear and almost radiant, contrasts beautifully with Rusalka’s liquid universe. He embodies a tragic naivety — blind passion, impulsive betrayal, and regret without redemption. Each phrase wavers between the surge of love and the weight of guilt.”
The tenor and other cast of Rusalka were accompanied by Orchestre de l’Opéra de Massy under conductor Kaspar Zehnder.
Rusalka is famous for its soprano aria, Song to The Moon, made famous locally by the Peque Gallaga-Lore Reyes film, Sonata as sang by the late actress, Cherie Gil and voiced by soprano Camille Lopez Molina.
Espiritu told Vera Files: “I had a great time performing the Prince for the first time. I have to admit, Czech is as hard as Polish. I enjoyed singing the last part of the Opera. It gave a feeling of peace and resolution in The Prince’s conscience. They have similarities but singing them requires special attention on opening up the vowels because you don’t really have too much time since you have to pay attention to the consonants.”
The tenor arrived in France while still indisposed. “For this reason, it was hard to get the role in my voice. I only had a solid week to get it in my voice when it finally felt healthy. Thank God the company gave me some time to develop it. I coped well given my health condition.”
Although Song to the Moon was the opera’s most anticipated aria, the tenor said the Prince’s aria was just as touching. “The aria for the Prince is such a joy to sing and it is so beautiful the way Dvořak wrote it. It’s not one of those arias where you think twice about yourself. There are no challenging leaps nor fiorituri. It’s like singing a good melodic line that climaxes to the end.”
He admits soprano Serenad Uyar sang the title role very well. “Serenad was fabulous as Rusalka. She sang the role well and was such a good colleague. The conductor Maestro Kaspar Zehnder was very helpful and easy to work with.”
Considered the youngest opera house in France, Opera de Massy was officially inaugurated on October 9, 1993 with legendary Spanish mezzo Teresa Berganza singing Liszt accompanied by the Orchestre National de France led by Jeffrey Tate.
The opera house was designed by Arturo Oliveras and Alain Aubert with the entire complex integrated within an open neighborhood. It is built around a small square covered by a glass roof that protects it but also lets light through. The pilasters at its entrance, the facade punctuated with pillars and small columns, and its grand ceremonial staircases subtly evoke the features of a classic opera house.
A month before his France debut, Espiritu was heard for the first time at Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Italy in a new production of Gounod’s Faust.
Teatro Massimo is the largest theatrical building in Italy and the third largest in Europe after the Opera Nacional in Paris and the Staatsoper in Vienna.
“It was comparable to my La Scala debut but, the theater was much bigger and the acoustics were okay. It kept me thinking about how much we are missing as far as constructing a real opera house In the Philippines is going to be like. It was overall surreal. It was so good to be able to sing this role and iconic aria in one of the biggest theaters in Italy,” he shared his good vibes.
Espiritu is all set to reprise Faust in Varna November 15 to 23 until December 16. In March 2026, he sings Prince Igor as Vladimir at Gartnerplatz State Theater in Munich, Germany.
