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Home , Beniamino Gigli, Ciro in Babilonia, Sonia Ganassi

ITALY : M ACERATA & P ESARO ’S ROSSINI FESTIVAL Wednesday, August 3rd through Friday, August 12th

Arena Sferisterio,

Italy’s ‘Marche’ Province: “It is a bucolic landscape of undulating Macerata: “Since 1967, the Arena Sferisterio has had plenty to offer hills and lush river valleys squeezed between the soaring peaks of the in terms of quantity and quality in the field of open-air opera, and has A pennines to the west and the long coastline to the east… There are become a valid alternative to the Verona Arena… Sovrintendente Clau - so many medieval towns that even the most comprehensive guidebook dio Orazi’s shrewdness as an administrator and intelligent artistic de - cannot list them all, each with something warranting a visit. There cisions have managed to make this city in the Marche an island of good are a great number of fanciful castles, palaces and Gothic and Ro - sense in the sea of waste characteristic of the Italian operatic scene.” manesque churches. . . And then there is the food.” Opera N.Y. Times, ‘Ancient Towns by the Adriatic’ “Because Ravenna spent much of its history looking to the East, its Renowned Polish Ewa Podle s: There was so much foot- greatest art treasures show much Byzantine influence: above all, stomping the walls seemed to shake. One´ feared that the scheduled Ravenna is a city of mosaics, the finest in Western art.” Fodor gutting and renovation of the auditorium (Avery Fisher Hall) were about to get an early start.” Anthony Tommasini, NY Times ur third consecutive combination of Northern Italy’s Macer - ata and Pesaro will offer an even more interesting reper - “Peruvian Juan Diego Florez, beloved of opera audiences for toire of and notably upgraded casting. After his command of the high registers . . .” The Guardian receiving unanimous accolades from our travelers, we do not Owant to lose the momentum for this unusual Tour which em - Stuart Neill: “The opening night audience saw and heard the qual - braces two major opera festivals on Italy’s Adriatic coast in the late ities that make him such a tantalizing performer. His voice has the summer: the Macerata Opera in the spectacular outdoor Teatro ring of quality, clarity and dramatic Sferisterio , and the Rossini Festi - immediacy.” Philadelphia Inquirer val in Pesaro . Macerata and Pesaro are both small Italian towns that in - “The dramatic and melodic riches of the vite you to walk through the charm - music raise the thought, not for the first ing streets to discover the artistic time, that in terms of sheer natural ge - riches and intrinsic allure of this rel - nius … Rossini was the most gifted of atively unfamiliar region. all Italian composers in any genre.” We will begin our Tour in the un - (Opera) “He was born in Pesaro in spoiled hilltown of Macerata, where one of the most important regions for the extraordinary Teatro Sferisterio Italian art… a region worth visiting is the setting for a season of outdoor through a time travel back in the Mid - operas, similar to Verona but in a dle Ages and the Re naisance.” unique theatre with even better sight- www.eventoitaliano.it lines. The repertory is usually drawn from the most popular and well- Pesaro 20 En route between Macerata and Pesaro, we plan to stop in the town of Jesi to visit the exquisite Teatro Per - golesi . For our imaginative travelers who are searching for something unusual, away from the obvious Italian cities, we strongly recommend this blend of Rossini’s multifaceted genius with the thrill of Macerata’s expan - sive staging of the most beloved of all Italian operas. Wednesday, August 3rd, departure from New York’s Kennedy Airport at 6:05 pm on Alitalia flight #603, arriv - ing at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport at 8:40 am on the morn - ing of the 4th. This connects with Alitalia #1127 at 10:20 am, scheduled to arrive at Italy’s Ancona airport at 11:25 am. Our bus or van will meet this flight and transfer you to Macerata, about a half-hour’s drive. (Or independent travel to Ancona, and independent taxis to Macerata.)

MACERATA: A UGUST 4TH – 7 TH ccommodations for four nights with a generous buffet breakfast included at Macerata’s Hotel Arena , a small first- Aclass hotel located in the center of the old town on Vicolo Sferisterio, a stone’s throw from the Teatro. The Arena is effi - ciently managed with friendly personal service and is very much in demand in Macerata, as there are hardly any other hotels within the confines of the hilltown. The rooms are simple, but are air- Macerata; Aerial view of Teatro Sferisterio conditioned and contain most modern conveniences. The Arena has a comfortable breakfast room and a small bar/lounge area. known operas, making an ideal balance with Pesaro. (This writer There are several restaurants within easy walking distance. remembers his favorite production of ‘’ in the Sferisterio.) Our four-nights in Macerata this summer will encompass a trio of Thursday, August 4th, Italian aperitifs and hors d’oeuvres will productions of favorite works from the grand tradition of 19th cen - be served in the main lounge of the hotel. This will be an oppor - tury Italian opera – ’s ‘’ landmark, tunity to meet other members of the Tour. No performance is in - – and a pair of ’s undisputed masterworks – Il cluded on our first evening. Trovatore and . Friday morning, August 5th, a guided ‘walking tour’ is arranged Immediately following Macerata, an easy bus transfer will take us to familiarize you with the principal streets to the Adriatic coastal town of Pesaro, home of the internationally and monuments of the medieval town. Mac - renowned Rossini Festival which has established an enviable rep - erata’s several imposing Gothic churches utation for mounting many of the composer’s unfamiliar works – (the Duomo and San Giovanni ) and Renais - such as ‘’, ‘’ and ‘Bianca and Falliero’. The past sance piazzas (especially the Piazza Vittorio decade has also included notable productions of Rossini’s most ) are best discovered on foot through popular works, such as the challenging ensemble comedy ‘Il Viag - the winding streets of this charming, un - gio a Reims’, the buffo comedies ‘’ and ‘Il Barbiere spoiled hilltown. You will want to linger in the di Siviglia’, and the seldom encountered masterwork ‘’. cafes and browse through the center’s shops The program for 2016 during our four-night visit to Rossini’s birth - on the Piazza della Libertá once you know Stuart Neill place is also exceptional and will include all three of this year’s your way around. major productions: the melodrama , based on Sir Walter Scott’s eponymous novel; , one of Our first performance, which begins late in Rossini’s irresistible comedies with a scintillating ‘buffo’ score; and the evening after dusk (9:00 pm) on August the rarely encountered Ciro in Babilonia , a serious drama drawn 5th, is a new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s from the Old Testament revolving around Cyrus, King of Persia. Shakespearean tragedy, Otello . The Ameri - can dramatic tenor Stuart Neill will portray Our excursions will the jealous Moor, opposite Sicilian soprano include day trips to Jessica Nuccio returning to this Festival Ravenna to view after her popular recent success as Gilda and Jessica Nuccio the priceless early Violetto during the past two summers. Italy’s Christian mosaics; sought-after Verdi baritone Roberto Frontali and to the village of will complete the trio of principals as a de - Recanati , where monic Iago. The conductor is Riccardo the Museo Gigli Frizza , and the director is Paco Azarin . The preserves the mem - unique Teatro Sferisterio is an expansive ory of their most fa - l9th-century neo-classical edifice designed by mous native son Iraneo Aleandro, surmounted by a grandiose Beniamino Gigli. Doric colonnade and one hundred and four Jesi tower Roberto Frontali 21 consecutive boxes. The harmonious lateral amphitheatre seats five Massimo Zanetti , and the new production will be directed by the thousand spectators, with everyone remarkably close to the action team of Luigi Di Gangi and Ugo Giacomazzi . on the stage. The acoustics are exceptional for both the voices and Monday morning, August 8th, transfer by private bus from Mac - the orchestra, and the Festival is famous for its “wide, cinemas - erata to Pesaro, approximately a two-hour drive along the Adriatic cope-shaped space originally used for a ball-game akin to pelota” coast. En route today, we will interrupt the drive with a stop in the (Opera ), ideally suitable for the traditional Italian repertory. town of Jesi , where the Teatro Pergolesi is of particular interest Saturday morning, August 6th, an excursion will take us to the for opera enthusiasts. Dating to the 18th century, this opera house nearby village of Recanati , The home town of the poet Giacomo was named for the local-born composer Giovanni Battista Per - Leopardi and the 20th century world-renowned tenor Beniamino golesi on the 170th anniversary of his birth. Gigli , Recanati is important for us by virtue of the Gigli Museum . Recanati also boasts the new Villa Col - loredo-Mels , a splendid 18th century villa with a room of four Lorenzo Lotto paintings. PESARO : A UGUST 8TH – 11 TH Lotto’s Annunciation is one of the priceless ccommodations for four nights with art treasures of the Marche region. We will buffet breakfast included at the seaside AExcelsior Hotel , located directly across enjoy lunch today in Recanati’s Borgo An - tico restaurant before returning to Macerata the street from the town’s Adriatic beach and in mid-afternoon. containing an excellent restaurant. We are fortunate to have secured early reservations At 9:00 pm on Saturday evening, our perform - Anna Pirozzi at this five-star ‘spa hotel’, which ranks ance in the Sferisterio will be Verdi’s rousing among the finest of the resort properties on ‘middle-period’ opera, Il Trovatore . The the coast. The spa offers a full service of seamless succession of melodic arias, duets massage treatments, sauna and exercise Olga Peretyatko and ensembles account for the perennial pop - equipment. The ’59 Restaurant serves out - ularity of this masterful score. Macerata’s in - standing local menus. In the evening, we plan ternational cast will offer Italian soprano to walk about 20 minutes to the Festival’s the - Anna Pirozza as Leonora, Albanian mezzo- atres. You will need to take a taxi if you choose soprano Enkelejda Shkosa as the gypsy not to walk. Azucena, Sardinian tenor Piero Pretti as Enkelejda Shkosa Manrico (the title Troubadour), and Italian Now entering its thirty-fifth season, the baritone Marco Caria as Leonora’s thwarted suitor the Count di Rossini Festival has achieved world-wide Luna. This revival from the 2013 season will be directed by Fran - recognition for its scholarly editions of such cisco Negrin , and Daniel Oren will be on the podium to conduct. Rossini rarities as ‘’, René Barbera ‘Ermione’; the revelatory 1994 ‘’, and the definitive 1995 Sunday, August 7th, is left free to relax in Macerata and to enjoy ‘Guillaume Tell’. The greatest of today’s Rossini inter - walking around the old town. In the early evening, a pre- preters return regularly to celebrate the composer’s pro - opera dinner is planned at Osteria dei Fiori , a favorite lific genius. The town is a veritable museum to its most restaurant serving delicious regional dishes. On via illustrious native son. Lauro Rossi, the Osteria is within easy walking distance of the hotel. The evening of Monday, August 8th is left free for inde - pendent dining. No performance this evening. At 9:00 pm on Sunday evening, our third opera at the Teatro Sferisterio will be Vincenzo On Tuesday, August 9th, a morning walk - Bellini’s Norma . Premiered at in ing tour of the town center. Pesaro has a 1831, ‘Norma’ is acknowledged to be the sunny Adriatic beach and is known for pinnacle of ‘bel canto’ opera and is still Rossini’s birthplace (via Rossini 24). A revered above all the works of this school visit to the Rossini House Museum will (Rossini, Donizetti and Bellini). “The title take us through the quiet streets of the role is one of the most taxing and wide- historic city centre. A highlight will be the ranging in the entire repertory: a noble Municipal Museum of Palazzo Mosca character whose tragedy lies in her fatal containing exceptional Umbrian pottery love for an enemy of her people. The many and ceramics as well as an important collec - different aspects of Norma’s temperament tion of Italian Primitive painters from the are marvelously drawn by Bellini.” (New early Renaissance. The jewel of the mu - Grove Dictionary of Opera). Tonight’s cast seum is Giovanni Bellini’s luminous Pala is headed by the Uruguayan soprano Maria di Pesaro (1475), an immense altarpiece Josè Siri as the Druid priestess Norma, representing the Virgin and many associ - and Italian mezzo-soprano Sonia Ganassi ated scenes. Art historians from through - reprising her consummate Adalgisa from out the world travel to Pesaro only to study La Scala, Vienna and other major houses. this great work. Completing the quartet of principals will Tuesday evening at 8:00 pm, our first Pe - be Italians Rubens Pellizzari as the two- saro performance will be Gioachino timing Roman Consul Pollione and Rossini’s early ‘opera buffo’, Il Turco in Nicola Ulivieri as Norma’s father, the Italia , in the Teatro Rossini . One of the Giovanni Bellini‘s Pala di Pesaro high priest Oroveso. The conductor is composer’s broadest comedies, ‘The 22 Turk in Italy’ is ‘bel canto’ tenor Juan Diego Florez in the dominated by col - role of King James (‘Giacomo’), disguised as oratura arias and Uberto who loves Elena. Georgian Soprano rapid ensembles Salome Jicia will assume the title role of “etched in with Elena, and the ‘trouser’ assignment of Elena’s the most delicate true love Malcolm will be sung by the young strokes, in a style Armenian mezzo-soprano Varduhi Abra - entirely appropri - hamyan . The rising American tenor Michael ate to the drawing- Spyres will portray Rodrigo, chief of the Juan Diego Florez room chatter of a Highlanders. Michele Mariotti is the con - piece full of dou - ductor, and this important new production will be directed by ble meanings, Damiano Michieletto with set designs by Paolo Fantin . hypo crisy, smoth - Friday, August 12th, departure by bus for Ancona’s airport in time ered anger, forced Teatro Rossini in Pesaro for Alitalia flight #1128 at 12:00 pm, arriving at Rome’s Fiumicino smiles, and asides Airport at 1:05 pm. This connects with Alitalia #610, departing through clenched teeth.” (New Grove Dictionary of Opera). The Rome at 2:45 pm and arriving at New York’s Kennedy Airport at cast of Rossini specialists will include Russian soprano Olga 6:20 pm. Or independent departure from Ancona. Peretyatko as Fiorilla, Uruguayan bass Erwin Schrott as Selim, Italian baritone Nicola Alaimo as Gernoni, American tenor René Barbera as Narciso, and Italian baritone Pietro Spagnoli as Pros - docimo. The conductor is Speranza Scappucci , and the new pro - duction is directed and designed by Davide Livermore . Early on Wednesday, August 10th, a not-to-be-missed full-day ex - cursion will take us to the Byzantine capital of Ravenna , about an hour and a half north of Pesaro on the coast. “The Ravenna mo - saics are the finest in Europe, surpassing even those of Constan - tinople, and Venice. Dante, in the Divine Comedy , described them as ‘a symphony of colour’, their chief characteris - tics being clarity, harmony, bright colours and decorative rhythm of design.” We will visit the 5th century Tomb of Galla Placidia with its dazzling lapis lazuli stones and the adjacent Church of St. Vitalis , consecrated by Archbishop Maximillian in 547. After a lunch in the popular Ristorante Bella Venezia , we will stop to view the Basilica of St. Apollinaris in Classe three miles out - side the town, with a majestic interior of twelve great arches and a Ravenna, St. Apollinaris triumphal arch and chancel adorned with magnificent mosaics. in Classe; We plan to return to Pesaro in the late afternoon. mosaic detail At 8:00 pm on Wednesday evening, we will from the Tomb of return to the Teatro Rossini for a perform - Galla Placidia ance of Ciro in Babilonia , a Rossini rarity being revived in the 2012 production by Da - vide Livermore . Premiered in 1812 in Fer - rara, this two-act drama is set during the war between King Belshazzar of Babylon and You should expect to walk 15 – 20 minutes and be able to negotiate King Cyrus of Persia, as described in the Old flights of stairs to participate in this Tour, as it is impossible for a bus Testament. Returning to the pivotal role of to reach some of our destinations any closer. Vehicles are NOT al - Ciro – which created a sensation in ’12 – will lowed in the inner areas of most Italian cities and hill towns. be the remarkable Polish contralto Ewa Podle s, who has earned a cult following by virtue ´of her stentorian voice combined with Pesaro & Macerata an acrobatic coloratura technique. Opposite her as King Baldassare will be the Italian Price per person:, based on double occupancy $ 5,360* tenor Antonino Siragusa , a master of the Single room supplement $ 780* high-tessitura Rossini roles, and the radiant South African soprano Pretty Yende as *NOT included in our price are the new Italian city taxes, which you Ciro’s wife Amira. The conductor will be Ewa Podl es should expect to pay when departing the hotels. These small taxes (per Jader Bignamini . ´ person per night) are 1 euro in Macerata and 2 euros in Pesaro.

At 8:00 pm on Thursday, August 11th, our final performance will Air fare NOT included. be in the Adriatic Arena . This will be Rossini’s La Donna del Lago , based on Sir Walter Scott’s ‘The Lady of the Lake’. First per - Air fare: Prices are subject to change depending on time of book - formed in in 1819, this romantic tale set in the Scottish lake ing. Please contact our agent Linda Botros (back-page cover) for country has enjoyed back-to-back success at the MET for the past lowest current fares.. two seasons. Pesaro’s cast will showcase the charismatic Peruvian 23