The week that will culminate has begun Saturday 25 November with the return of opera to Politeama Theatre of Catanzaro and the debut of the new co-production of the Works Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliaccisigned by Classical Sicily Festival and by Politeama itself. An ambitious operation that is registering a lot of curiosity and participation, as highlighted by the artistic director Nuccio Anselmo towards a sold out which – thanks also to the choice to open the theater with tickets accessible to all – represents “a result that fills us with pride and excites even more.”
An artistic union that will see the presence of the Calabria Philharmonic Orchestrafor the occasion directed by the maestro Aldo Salvagno, of Salerno origins, with thirty years of experience in the Italian and international opera scene. “I welcomed with great pleasure and favor the invitation of the Sicilia Classica Festival – declared the Conductor – with whom I have already collaborated in 2018 and 2019 for 66 concerts in China. Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci are two very complicated operas, which I have already conducted many times, but to which I always reserve the particular attention they require, both for the masses and for the orchestras and soloists”.
The voice cast will feature singers of national and international caliber together. For Cavalleria Rusticana: Natasha KataiHungarian, dramatic soprano of agility who stands out for her imposing voice, solid technique, timbre and warm color, in the role of Santuzza; Alberto Profetatenor of international caliber, pupil of Maestro Luciano Pavarotti, with many years of experience in the major theaters in Italy and abroad, in the role of Turiddu; Jorge Telloin the role of Alfio, a Spanish-Peruvian baritone, singer and multifaceted actor who has performed with great skill in both dramatic and comic roles, integrating an important acting technical basis into his musical and vocal training; Marta Di Stefano, Sicilian, pure mezzo-soprano of international caliber, with an important stage presence, has perfected her technique with Maestro Placido Domingo, will perform in the role of Mamma Lucia; the mezzo-soprano from Catanzaro Gabriella Aleo in the role of Lola.
For Pagliacci, they will perform: in the role of Nedda, Isidora Moles, a young soprano originally from Serbia adopted by Rome, winner of several international awards including the Fausto Ricci 2022, and with an extensive international curriculum behind her; again the aforementioned tenor Alberto Profeta, in the role of Canio, the Spanish-Peruvian baritone Jorge Tello in the role of Tonio and the Calabrian tenor Lorenzo Papasoderoin the role of Beppe; Giovanni PalminteriItalian baritone with strong acting skills, student of the master baritone Lucio Gallo and with an intense concert and operatic activity both in Italy and abroad, in the role of Silvio.
The direction, for both works, is entrusted to the skill of Francesco Ciprì, already a tenor in various roles; the choreographies are by Stefania Cotroneothe costumes of Fabrizio Buttiglierifinally we note the presence of Mediterranean Lyric Choir.