Rapla Cultural Centre
29 June at 7 PM
OPERA GALA
Soloists of the XII Rapla International Summer Academy
under the guidance of the world-famous Italian tenor Fabio Armiliato
pianist Simone Maria Marziali (IT)
FABIO ARMILIATO is one of the most important tenors in the international opera world, distinguished by his unique voice, high register, and innate musicality, as well as his dramatic stage presence and charismatic performances. He was born in Genoa, where he graduated from the Niccolò Paganini Conservatory. During his career, he refined his vocal and technical excellence under Maestro Franco Corelli. Armiliato’s debut in Verdi’s opera Simon Boccanegra quickly launched his career and led him to perform major roles in the world’s most prestigious opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Opéra de Paris, San Francisco Opera, Teatro Real in Madrid, and the Vienna State Opera. He also gained acclaim for his portrayal of Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca, which made him widely regarded as one of the most recognized tenors. His most significant recent seasons include performances in Verdi’s La Forza del Destino at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West in Rome, and Tosca at the Baths of Caracalla, marking the 20th anniversary of his debut in that role. In 2009 and 2010, he performed in Turandot at the fully renovated Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari. He also achieved major success and standing ovations as Rodolfo in Luisa Miller at the Zurich Opera House, as well as in a new production of La Fanciulla del West at the Puccini Festival celebrating the opera’s 100th anniversary alongside soprano Daniela Dessì.The beginning of 2011 marked his highly anticipated and successful debut in Verdi’s Otello at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie in Liège. After this, he received the first Tito Schipa International Award in Ostuni and was made an honorary citizen of Recanati. In the following years, he continued performing at the world’s leading opera houses, productions, and concerts, while also beginning to lead masterclasses. In 2017, he was appointed Ambassador of Genoa, and in 2018 he was awarded the title of Knight of Malta for his artistic and humanitarian contributions. He has frequently appeared on television programs dedicated to promoting opera, participated in numerous recordings, and taken part in sports and charity events with the Italian National Singers’ Football Team. Armiliato also made his acting debut in Woody Allen’s film To Rome with Love. In recent years, he has developed the musical project RecitalCantango, dedicated to tango performance, and has continued performing successfully in operas such as Adriana Lecouvreur, Carmen, Pagliacci, and Madama Butterfly.
SIMONE MARZIALI studied classical piano at the Fiesole School of Music, early music at the Roman Philharmonic Academy, and opera conducting at the Bologna Philharmonic Academy. He has won first prizes in numerous national and international piano competitions, including the J. S. Bach Competition in Sestri Levante and the Città di Stresa International Piano Competition. For over 12 years, he served as principal répétiteur and assistant conductor at the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago and has worked in many opera houses worldwide, including those in Pisa, Livorno, Oviedo, Lucca, Bergamo, the Avignon Opera in France, Opera Australia in Melbourne, NHK Tokyo, the “Luciano Pavarotti” Theatre in Modena, and the opera house in Palma de Mallorca. He has collaborated with many world-renowned singers such as Plácido Domingo, Raina Kabaivanska, Katia Ricciarelli, Daniela Dessì, Fabio Armiliato, and others, as well as with distinguished conductors including Alberto Veronesi, Kery-Lynn Wilson, Roberto Tolomelli, and Antonio Pirolli. Marziali is a highly regarded vocal coach and accompanist, leading masterclasses worldwide, including in Rome, Tallinn (within the PLMF competition), Jerusalem, St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Busseto. He has conducted and participated in numerous opera productions, including Aida, Madama Butterfly, Pagliacci, and La Bohème, and currently teaches at the Carlo Bergonzi Academy in Busseto. He is also the founder of the music agency Musikos in Florence, which represents internationally established artists and young emerging talents.