Interview with Urs Buhler 31/July/2014

Interview with Urs Buhler 31/July/2014

An Evening on Broadway

The successful classical crossover group IL DIVO is again on a world tour. In their luggage they have great musical numbers, they are accompanied by the award-winning musical singer Lea Salonga .

The idea for IL DIVO had the music manager Simon Cowell. 2004 then joined the Swiss tenor Urs Buhler, baritone Carlos Marín of the Spanish, American tenor David Miller, and French pop singer Sébastien Izambard the first time together on and immediately had great success. The special feature of the formation is that classically trained voices present pop songs accompanied by a large orchestra. Their fans are a mix of old and young, opera lovers and now probably even musical fans. IL DIVO also maintains contact with the audience and invites before the concert for a Meet & Greet.

Your new CD "A Musical Affair" is dedicated to the musical. In 2005/06 you have sung with Barbra Streisand a musical song. How did it come to this collaboration?

Urs Bühler: Barbra then had the plan for a farewell tour and asked us. That was very great for us and a great honor. The great thing was that it has integrated us into their show. We have some duets, such as "Somewhere" or "The Music Of The Night", which is also on the new CD, sung with her, so not only were the opening act. To stand as a young group with such an icon on stage was actually incredible.

As the songs have been selected for their musical CD?

Urs: David and Carlos have never done much musical IL DIVO ago, I did not know there is so much. In my career I had only "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" sung when I was a student. Together with management, record label and friends, we have compiled a large list. This we then concentrated to 15 to 20 pieces and then went into the studio. We also wanted to make a bit of a cross section through the period of musicals and have not only all of the last 20 years. So is something of "Camelot" or "Carousel". I've met a lot of beautiful music that I did not know.

Is there a favorite song from the actual show?

Cause: This is difficult. I like the older pieces very well. So we sing "Some Enchanted Evening" for example, which is really beautiful and really great to sing. Or, "If Ever I Would Leave You" from "Camelot". So I find the lyrics of these songs are so great, since you have not the history, know the context of the songs.

Are you at the concerts with orchestra on the road?

Urs: We always have an orchestra on stage. However, this does not travel with us, but that's orchestra, which we are committed in the city. However, we always have the same conductor and the same drummer who is also our musical director. The two samples the afternoon before the show, a study the whole repertoire. Sometimes I lose myself in there listening and it's already happened to me that I almost missed my bets because I listen to the strings or the oboe.

You are trained opera singers. Sing her away from IL DIVO still opera?

Urs: We are again this year on tour a lot, have more than 126 concerts all over the world such as South Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, North America, Mexico, Canada, Papua New Guinea and of course in Europe. For opera there is simply no time. But already I sing my Mozart arias when I am getting ready for the show.

Facts :

IL DIVO was the first classical crossover group.
Over 26 million albums sold worldwide.
About 50 times led IL DIVO the album charts at
IL DIVO already got 160 gold and platinum awards in over 33 countries.
Duet partners have included Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Katherine Jenkins, Toni Braxton, Leona Lewis and Michael Ball
October 1, Wiener Stadthalle, Halle D

http://www.ticketmagazin.com/ein-abend-am-broadway/