We're delighted to announce that Xavier Sabata has joined the Rayfield Allied roster for general management.
Xavier's repertoire spans from Cavalli and Monteverdi, and the heroes of baroque opera seria, to contemporary works. He was awarded the Premio Ópera Actual in 2013, and the Premi Tendències d’el Mundo in 2014, and was nominated for best male artist in the 2019 International Opera Awards.
“Sabata’s Tamerlano remains one of the finest Handel operatic performances, outstandingly sung, waspishly characterised and dangerously attractive: you fully understand why his cast off fiancée […] should still be in thrall to him.” Tim Ashley, The Guardian (HANDEL Tamerlano with Il Pomo d’Oro - Barbican Hall, London)
Recent roles have included Bertarido in Handel Rodelinda with Claus Guth under Stefano Montanari at Opéra de Lyon, and also at Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Chile; Ottone in a revival of Monteverdi L’incoronazione di Poppea under Diego Fasolis at Staatsoper Unter den Linden; Endimione La Calisto directed by David Alden with Ivor Bolton at Teatro Real, Madrid; the world premiere of L’enigma di Lea at Gran Teatro del Liceu, Barcelona; title role in Handel Rinaldo at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and on tour with Christophe Rousset and the Kammerorchester Basel and most recently the title role in Orlando for the Perelada Festival.
“The hero of Ariosto and the evening was Xavier Sabata, involved in the project since its genesis and who had previously collaborated with Villalobos. That absolute rapport with the Sevillian director gave rise to an interpretation of great dramatic stature and full of delivery. Sabata dived into the psychological recesses of the character extracting scenic and musical moments of great expressive force. His vocal line was always elegant, the coloratura precise and the accentuation adequate. A personal triumph in a role created for the great Senesino and that fits him like a ring to his finger.” Pablo Melendez-Haddad, Opera Actual (HANDEL Orlando, Festival Castell de Perelada)
His extensive discography under major labels such as Virgin Classics/EMI and Decca includes recordings of Handel's operas Faramando, Arminio, Ottone, the multi-award-winning recording of Alessandro, and the title role in Tamerlano. The Guardian described his solo disc ‘Bad Guys’ as ranking ‘among the most intelligent and striking recital discs of recent years’, see highlights from the making of the disc here. He also participated in the Gala Night of Countertenors team, alongside Max Emanuel Cencic, Yuriy Mynenko and Franco Fagioli, released by DECCA. In addition to his performances on the opera stage Xavier has a passion for Lied, and has recently recorded Schubert Winterreise for the Berlin Classics label.
In 21/22 he will return to Vienna Staastoper to reprise the role of Ottone in Monteverdi’s Poppea under Pablo Heras-Casado after his house debut there last season. Other highlights include a tour of Winterreise, Voce di dio in Scarlatti Il Primo Omicidio for Essen Opera and Orlando for Halle Oper. He will also direct and star in Schoenberg’s iconic piece Pierrot Lunaire at the Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona.
We are thrilled to welcome Xavier to the Rayfield Allied roster, where he will be managed by Nicki Wenham and Sophie Richardson.
