The return of the Opera to the Politeama Theater in Catanzaro with the debut of the Sicilia Classica Festival was welcomed. The co-production of the two realities of Southern Italy – the Fondazione del Teatro and the established Sicilian reality – was officially inaugurated last Saturday 25 November at the Mario Foglietti, with the operas Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci proposed together, registering a participation beyond of expectations.
“The public – declares the artistic director Nuccio Anselmo – rewarded this beautiful collaboration between Calabrians and Sicilians by participating in large numbers. We are very happy with it and can’t wait to do it again next January 4th with the staging of La Traviata.”
The collaboration between the two realities, Sicilian and Calabrian, was not limited to the Organization alone. Rather, he deliberately planned the integration, in the cast of the Sicilia Classica Festival, of two Calabrian singers – the mezzo-soprano from Catanzaro Gabriella Aleoand the young tenor originally from Satriano, Lorenzo Papasodero– as well as a historical reality such as the Calabria Philharmonic Orchestra.
“The first one was good,” declared the General Director of the Politeama Foundation, smiling Aldo Costa – we are very satisfied with this first result, although we are working to do even better, to strengthen the collaboration with Sicilia Classica Festival, to provide increasingly high-quality shows, permanently including in the program the representation of operas that continue to fascinate our loyal audience ”.
“The welcome at the Politeama theater was impeccable,” added the Orchestra Director Aldo Salvagnoknown to the international public – The show, very well looked after in detail and worthy of appearing in large theaters for the richness of the scenes, as well as for the presence of the dance troupe and the mimes, has further enriched the stage of the Mario Foglietti”.
At the staging of the shows – which were reinterpreted by the director Francesco Ciprì, in a more danced version of the classical one – the Mediterranean Lyric Choir took part, and the following soloists of national and international caliber. For Cavalleria Rusticana: the soprano Natasha Katai in the role of Santuzza; the tenor Alberto Profeta, in the role of Turiddu; the baritone Jorge Tello in the role of Alfio; the mezzo-soprano Marta Di Stefano in the role of Mamma Lucia; the mezzo-soprano Gabriella Aleo, in the role of Lola. For Pagliacci: the soprano Isidora Moles in the role of Nedda; the tenor Alberto Profeta in the role of Canio; the baritone Jorge Tello in the role of Tonio; the tenor Lorenzo Papasodero in the role of Beppe; the baritone Giovanni Palminteri in the role of Silvio. Choreography by Stefania Cotroneo and costumes by Fabrizio Buttiglieri.
Meanwhile, while dance is also on stage at the Mario Foglietti Theatre, the Sicilia Classica Festival is preparing to return with Verdi’s opera La Traviata on 4 January 2024.
