November 3, 8p.m.
ROY THOMSON HALL
features
CANADIAN DEBUT OF ORCHESTRA INTERNAZIONALE D’ITALIA
WITH OPERA SINGER & CLASSICAL GUITARIST
On the occasion of the 13th
edition of the annual Italian Wine-Tasting, the Orchestra
Internazionale d’Italia - Italy’s flagship ensemble – will
perform at Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe Street, Toronto, as part
of its Canadian debut tour, Monday, November 3 at 8 p.m.
Canadian maestro Kerry Stratton will conduct the Orchestra in a
concert called Gala Italia – featuring operatic arias and
orchestral masterworks mainly celebrating the 150th
anniversary of the great Italian opera composer, Giacomo Puccini
(1858-1924).
Tickets, $35; $25 seniors and students; and $20 group rate, are
available through the Roy Thomson Hall Box Office, 416-872-4255,
or via
www.roythomson.com.
For more information, call 416-362-1422 or visit
www.sumarts.com.
The performance is supported by the Italian Trade Office,
Italian Cultural Institute, International Touring Productions,
the International Resource Centre for Performing Artists, and
The New Classical 96.3 FM.
Joining Maestro Stratton and the
Orchestra is soprano Francesca
Ruospo from
Italy’s Accademia Teatro alla Scala in Milan, in
her Canadian debut. Award-winning
Italian classical guitarist and recording artist Claudio
Marcotulli also makes his Canadian debut, in the famed work
for guitar and orchestra, Concierto de Aranjuez by
Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo.
Among the musical highlights are Capriccio Sinfonico by
Puccini and favorite arias from his operas. As well,
the tour features the premieres of two new works by Italian
composers, commissioned by Rai Trade, a branch of
Italian Radio and Television network – Carlo Boccadoro’s
Fasi Lunari (Lunar Phases) and Gianluca Podio’s Di
Fedro il gioco nascosto (Phaedrus’ Hidden Game).
This is the fourth tour in the International Visiting Orchestra
Series, designed to bring world ensembles to the Canadian
public.
With Maestro Stratton directing, the
Canadian debut tour of the Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia
comprises performances in eight Ontario locations and a
concluding concert in Montreal on November 10. Besides the
November 3 Toronto concert, the Ontario dates are Port Hope
(November 2), Welland (November 4), Orillia (November 5),
Markham (November 6), Milton (November 7), Barrie (November 8),
and Richmond Hill (November 9).
ORCHESTRA INTERNAZIONALE D’ITALIA –
www.oidi.com
Founded in 1986, the Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia grew out of the
international orchestra of Jeunesses Musicales. It has gone on
to perform throughout Europe, in Central and South America and
in Asia, in festivals and concert halls, giving more than 900
symphonic concerts and performing for important opera festival
productions. Many of the world’s greatest conductors and
soloists have appeared as guests. In 1997, it received the
European Prize for Culture as Symphonic Orchestra. Home base is
the ancient and beautiful city of Fermo near the Adriatic Sea in
central Italy’s Marche region. Since 2003, it has been
resident orchestra of the Ventidio Basso Theatre
in Ascoli Piceno.
The Orchestra comes to Canada direct from Italy, where it is
giving a number of concerts under Maestro Stratton, performances
that include Ascoli Piceno, October 24; Pesaro, October 25; and
Fermo, October 26.
FRANCESCA RUOSPO, SOPRANO
Still in her 20s, soprano FRANCESCA RUOSPO comes to Canada directly from La Scala,
Milan, where she is starring at the Countess in Mozart’s
Marriage of Figaro in October. Born near the southern
Italian city of Bari, she switched from piano studies to voice,
going on to win scholarships, and top prizes in the Mario Lanza,
Tito Schipa and Leyla Gencer international competitions. Having
completed the two-year training at the Accademia Teatro alla
Scala, she has sung operatic roles in Italy, and appeared
internationally, performing in Chicago, in Strasbourg for the
European Parliament, and in London, Abu Dhabi and Beijing.
CLAUDIO MARCOTULLI, GUITAR
www.claudiomarcotulli.it/
(Italian);
www.claudiomarcotulli.it/english.html
(English).
Italian guitarist Claudio Marcotulli, soloist for the Canadian
tour, is considered one of the most distinguished guitarists of
his generation, both for the quality of his performances and his
intriguing choice of repertoire. He won the 1984 Concours René
Bartoli in France and first prize in Spain’s F. Tarrega
Competition. Marcotulli has enjoyed worldwide tours and
recorded CDs of operatic melodies and Vivaldi concertos on the
Ópera Tres label. Among his performances with the Orchestra
Internazionale d’Italia were several involving the late tenor
Luciano Pavarotti.
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