Soprano Nikoleta Rallis grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina, but her love for opera took her on many journeys. She landed in New York City along with along with Kyrgyz-American pianist Azamat Sydykov. They both received music scholarships to enhance their talents; they perform together and share a commitment to use music to improve the planet. They are a musical super-team as artists and philanthropists.
Rallis and Sydykov are in Wilmington to perform at Thalian Hall-and they'll be joined onstage by Rallis' father, dramatic tenor Michael Rallis. The musical selection is eclectic, including opera, musical theatre, classic oldies, and a few solo piano pieces from Sydykov. He may share a folk piece from Kyrgyzistan with the audience. Listen above to Rallis and Sydykov talk about their histories and the performance.
Nikoleta Rallis, Azamat (Aza) Sydykov, and Michael Rallis. Friday, 9/23 @ 7:30 pm at Thalian Hall.
Tickets for the show are available online, by telephone at 910-632-2285 , or at the Thalian Hall box office one hour prior to show.
While Rallis & Sydykov were at WHQR, they played a tune in the lobby-listen here to "Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiß" from Lehar's opera Giuditta.
English translation by Andre Rieu Translations
Why ever should it be
That men at once make love to me?
When they are near me,
There they stand.
Their eyes look deep in mine.
They always kiss my hand.
Why ever should it be
They speak of magic charms in me
That no man can resist?
For every time they look at me these charms
persist.
But when the soft lights glint and glance
As midnight hours go by
They hear me sing, they see me dance
It's then that I know why
On my lips every kiss is like wine
In my arms love is more than divine,
Its engraved in the stars high above me
Men must kiss me, men must love me.
When my feet haunting rhythms inspire,
In my eyes gleam the flames of desire,
When I dance, then I know Fate's design.
On my lips every kiss is like wine.
I have a dancer's blood
That rules me like a throbbing flood.
My mother was the dancing star
Without a rival at the Golden Alcazar!
How great she must have been!
In dreams I have so often seen
The raptures when she danced;
She held each heart enthralled and every eye
entranced.
Her spirit wakes in me again,
My fortune wills it so.
At night I dance as she did then,
And this is all I know.
On my lips every kiss is like wine
In my arms love is more than divine,
Its engraved in the stars high above me
Men must kiss me, men must love me.
When my feet haunting rhythms inspire,
In my eyes gleam the flames of desire,
When I dance, then I know Fate's design.
On my lips every kiss is like wine.