Lucia Aliberti to Open Manoel Theatre Season in Concert of Arias

"The famous Soprano Lucia Aliberti is to perform at the Concerto per l’Unità d’Italia to be held at the Manoel Theatre on Friday 30 September at 8pm. Here she talks to Erika Brincat about her career and her love for the world of opera. The 2011 - 2012 season at the Manoel Theatre opens with Concerto per l’Unità d’Italia’- a concert of operatic music by Italian composers Bellini, Donizetti, Puccini, Catalani and Verdi. The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and well-known soprano Lucia Aliberti will perform under the baton of the theatre’s music director Brian Schembri. The concert is being held in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy and the Istituto Culturale Italiano." [Source] Read the full interview to find out how her career started, the composers that rank among her favorites, what ice cream has to do with returning home, some of the most prestigious events the soprano has taken part in during her career, why there is a restaurant in Tokyo named after her, which is her favorite gown to wear in concert and how she finds balance in her busy life.

"Son vergin vezzosa" I Puritani (Bellini)

San Francisco Opera Gala Opening Night Event One Week Away

Iréne Theorin will portray
Puccini's icy princess.

"It’s not too late to part-take in of the most prominent events in the San Francisco musical and social scene. On September 9th, join Encore!, the San Francisco Opera’s club for opera aficionados, as they host the opening night gala at City Hall. As the second largest opera company in North America, the San Francisco Opera has been host to opera’s jewels like conductor Sir Georg Solti, director Francis Ford Coppola and lirico-spinto soprano Renata Tebali. The 2011/12 season will feature John Adams’ Nixon in China, a long sought after program. This magical evening will begin with cocktails at 5PM, followed by an elegant seated dinner at 6PM in City Hall and then attendees will head to the War Memorial Opera house and enjoy a performance of Puccini’s Turandot. The festivities continue back at City Hall at around 11PM after the performance with dessert and dancing into the wee hours of the night. One must first join Encore! and then purchase tickets for the gala which at this point start at $425 for Dress Circle Rear placement. A table for 10 Patron tickets is $6,000 (call (415) 621-4403 for orders and use this form) and if you can only make the performance, tickets are still available starting at $129." [Source]

Check out an image from the Hockney production and watch a clip of Iréne Theorin singing the "Riddle Scene" from Turandot at Covent Garden after the jump.

"Puccini’s final masterpiece opens the season under the baton of Music Director Nicola Luisotti, who conducted this melodically rich, colorfully orchestrated work to great acclaim at London’s Royal Opera House in 2009. This passionate tale of a princess whose cruelty masks her fear of love features some of the composer’s most glorious music, including the stirring anthem “Nessun dorma.” It will be performed by an outstanding cast led by Swedish soprano Iréne Theorin, “the world’s reigning Turandot” (Opera Britannia); Adler Fellow Leah Crocetto, an “outlandishly gifted soprano” (San Francisco Chronicle); and Marco Berti, “one of the preeminent Italian singers of his generation” (MusicalCriticism.com). The lavish production, featuring David Hockney’s “dazzling sets” (San Francisco Chronicle), returns in November with an equally impressive ensemble led by soprano Susan Foster, whose “acting is as impressive as her powerful, well-controlled, emotionally compelling voice” (Washington Post), and Walter Fraccaro, a "husky-voiced" tenor whose singing is "burnished and impassioned" (The New York Times)." [Source]

Sexy Hollywood Stars Celebrate "Le Comte Ory"

Le Comte Ory opened last night at the Metropolitan Opera and the parade of stars included Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, Claire Danes, Julianna Margulies, Olivia Munn, Emmy Rossum, Claudia Schiffer and Rebecca Hall (daughter of opera singer Maria Ewing and British director Peter Hall). Check out more photos of the event here.