When such an internationally celebrated singer as Pavol Breslik, an artist progressively adding to his repertoire, nevertheless keeps returning to Mozart, he is warmly praised by the critics and more than that, he has no qualms about his decision: “When I go back to Mozart after excursions into other repertoire – like Lensky or bel canto –and feel at home with Tamino, I know I have done the right thing.”

The burning question of how to master these demanding Mozart vocal roles has been answered again and again, without embarrassment and with sustained success, from the very start of his career. Born in Slovakia in 1979, the young artist made his professional singing debut at the age of twenty-one in the challenging role of Don Ottavio, in the very city where Don Giovanni was premiered: Prague. Since then, he has added to his tally of such roles on many of the world’s leading stages: Salzburg in 2008 (staged by Claus Guth), the Munich production of 2009, Vienna Staatsoper in 2011, London under Constantin Carydis and Los Angeles under Dudamel in 2012 and at last in 2013 Zurich, where the artist is resident. And Pavol Breslik does justice to the very different Prague and Vienna arias that are to be heard here not only in the studio but when necessary – as in Munich – live on stage.