The Opera Festival dedicated to Giacomo Puccini, in 2013, pays tribute to two other famous Italian composers: Giuseppe Verdi in the bicentenary of his birth and Pietro Mascagni on his 150th birth anniversary, which alongside Puccini's famous titles  TOSCA, TURANDOT and TABARRO, stages RIGOLETTO and CAVALLERIARUSTICANA.

The Festival of Torre del Lago offers in 2013 a lyrical billboard of great appeal, that between the months of July and August offers  music lovers events that cannot be missed in the name of Maestro Puccini's music, and more so this year with two titles among the most loved in the Italian operatic repertoire, in tribute to two great Italian composers Giuseppe Verdi on the bicentenary of his birth and Pietro Mascagni in the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary, classmate of Giacomo Puccini and first director, in 1930, of the Festival of Torre del Lago.

The season opens on the 12th of July with the representation of the diptych TABARRO&  CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA (replicas 10 and 17 August). The two titles have already been played in Torre del Lago but, presented for the first time in the form of a diptych. Il Tabarro, one of Puccini's triptych of one-act plays has already seen 6 representations in Torre del Lago, the first in 1957 and the last in 1991, while for Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni it will be the second time in Torre del Lago after its first staging in 1998.

The Diptych will be a new production of the Puccini Festival Foundation's 2013 billboard which bears the signature of the great Italian director and playwright Antonio Calenda and on the podium sees the young Spanish opera conductor, Pedro Halffter, son of one of the leading Spanish composers of the twentieth century Cristobal Halffter. Among the extraordinary performers, the welcomed return to Torre del Lago of Maria Guleghina, and Renata Lamanda, while it will be the first time for the tenor Francesco Anile and Armenian soprano Karine Babajanayan. In the role of Michael and Alfio baritone Alberto Gazale, while  Louigi Roni, Mario Bolognesi, Silvia Pasini complete the cast.

The 2013 billboard continues with the traditional and monumental setting of Puccini's incomplete TURANDOT (13-20-21 July / 8-24 August) signed by three big Italian show artists, Maurizio Scapparo director, Ezio Frigerio scenes and Franca Squarciapino costumes. On the podium we signal the welcomed return of the refined baton of Daniel Oren who will conduct the Orchestra and Chorus of the Puccini Festival (Oren is handing over the baton to Francesco Ivan Ciampa in the performance of July 20). The cast continues with extraordinary performers like Giovanna Casolla in the role of the wicked Princess Turandot whom the Neapolitan soprano stared in more than 500 performances all over the world, role which will alternate for the performance of July 21 with the soprano Nila Masala. The great Italian tenor Marcello Giordani will give voice to Prince Calaf, while in the role of Liu will see both Majia Kovalenska and Cristine Lewis.

Another new production in the Puccini Festival’s 2013 artistic proposal, is Puccini masterpiece TOSCA(26 July / 7-16-22 August). Co-production between the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía of Valencia, the Opéra de Monte-Carlo and the Teatro Regio of Turin. Result of the work of the Monegasque director Jean-Louis Grinda, scenes by Isabelle Partiot-Pieri, costumes by Christian Gasc and light design by Roberto Venturi.

An elegant Tosca, essential and innovative interpreter will see in the title role the soprano Norma Fantini, one of the greatest interpreters of the role of Floria Tosca, a role she stared in the major international stages and already applauded on the big stage of Torre del Lago, will alternate in the performance of August 16 with the Lucca born soprano Silvana Froli whose interpretations have been appreciated by critics for the perfect adhesion to the Puccini’s criteria for interpreters, applauded last year in the role of the geisha of Nagasaki. In the role of the painter Mario Cavaradossi two great tenors, the Italian Marco Berti and the Spanish Sergio Escobar, while Scarpia will be interpreted by Claudio Sgura. The new production of Tosca is entrusted to the baton of Alberto Veronesi, title that the Milan Orchestra Conductor has repeatedly directed in Torre del Lago and recently, also in China for the opening of the new Grand Theatre in Tianjin, which is the second in size and programming in China.

The tribute to the bicentenary of the birth of Giuseppe Verdi is the proposed RIGOLETTO, (July 19-27 / 9-23 August) a new production for the second book from the trilogy Cigno di Busseto, set in Mantova, in the Sixteenth Century. The opera that has as its protagonist the Duke of Mantova is entrusted to the direction of Renzo Giacchieri, Roman specialist of Verdi's opera, but whom has already signed memorable productions in Torre del Lago Puccini.

The Duke of Mantova will interpreted by Francesco Demuro and Rigoletto by Devid Cecconi, Gilda by the Russian soprano Ekaterina Bakanova. On the Torre del Lago podium debuts the acclaimed baton of Boris Brott Canadian director internationally renowned, while the scenes are of Alfredo Troisi for the Bottega Fantastica.

Contacts: Press Office -  Alessandra delle Fave
E-mail: press@puccinifestival.it 

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For further information please contact:
Stefania Gatta
Tel: 020 7399 3555
Email: stefania.gatta@enit.it