I Maestri del
Summer Opera Program
Leo Nucci, Baritone
He was born in Castiglione dei Pepoli (Bologna) in 1942, but he lives in Lodi, hometown of his wife, Adriana. After winning several competitions, in 1967 he made his debut at Teatro Sperimentale (A.Belli) of Spoleto as Figaro in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA.
He studied with M° Mario Bigazzi, completing his studies in Bologna with M° Giuseppe Marchesi. After having his career interrupted in 1970, he was persuaded to continue by M° Ottaviano Bizzarri.
Since its debut in 1977 with IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, he constantly sang at Teatro Alla Scala in Milan, participating in two season's opening.
For Teatro Alla Scala he recorded DON CARLO, two editions of AIDA, IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, SIMON BOCCANEGRA, IL TROVATORE, OTELLO, TOSCA, GIANNI SCHICCHI, with conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Chailly, Riccardo Muti, Lorin Maazel, Sir Georg Solti. In 2007 he performed a historic concert on the occasion of the 30-year career at Teatro Alla Scala, an event that has been released on DVD (Leo Nucci: Trent'anni Alla Scala, produced by Cmajor).
In 1979 he made his debut at the Staatsoper in Vienna with IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA. In this theater he sang nearly 300 performances and made several recordings, receiving the honor of “Kammersänger” and “Ehrenmitglied”.
At the Metropolitan in New York he made his debut in 1980 with UN BALLO IN MASCHERA. He participated in several new productions, recording UN BALLO IN MASCHERA, LA FORZA DEL DESTINO, L'ELISIR D'AMORE, IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA and several Gala concerts.
His debut in London's Covent Garden was in 1978 with LUISA MILLER and since then, even with this theater he maintains a constant collaboration with performances and recordings.
He was singing in Arena di Verona for 31 years, performing in more than 100 performances, singing the role of RIGOLETTO for nine editions and recording various DVD.
He is probably the only baritone in history to have sung Rigoletto in all the most important theaters in the world, with a total of more than 450 official performances.
In recent years he has taken as "house" reference Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Zurich Opera House (debut in 1982 with LUISA MILLER) and the Teatro Regio of Parma (debut in 1967) , where recently he was awarded honorary citizenship. With these three theaters still maintains a special relationship, participating in many new productions.
He has recorded under the direction of Herbert von Karajan, Sir Georg Solti, Riccardo Muti, Claudio Abbado, Carlos Kleiber, Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Chailly, James Levine, Zubin Mehta, Carlo Maria Giulini, Giuseppe Patanè, Nello Santi, Bruno Bartoletti, Daniel Oren, collaborating with colleagues from the world of opera. He starred in two film-opera: MACBETH by Claude D'Anna presented at Cannes in 1987 and IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA.
He has recently released a book dedicated to him: "Leo Nucci, un baritono per caso” written by Achille Mascheroni, Azzali edition of Parma.
Barbara Frittoli, soprano
Born in Milan, she graduated with the highest honour at “Giuseppe Verdi” Conservatory in Milan where she studied with Giovanna Canetti. She later was the winner of several international competitions.
Among her career’s most remarkable performances were LE NOZZE DI FIGARO (contessa d’Almaviva) in Ferrara, OTELLO (Desdemona) at the Salzburg Festival and at Teatro Regio in Turin with Claudio Abbado, COSÌ FAN TUTTE (Fiordiligi) at the Wiener Staatsoper and at Ravenna Festival with Riccardo Muti, also with Colin Davis at Covent Garden.
She sang DON GIOVANNI at Salzburg Festival with Lorin Maazel, TURANDOT (Liù) at Opéra Bastille with Georges Prêtre and a tour with the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and Zubin Mehta. At the Metropolitan she was Desdemona in OTELLO with James Levine, a role which she has performed in Brussels (Pappano), Wien, Nice, Florence (Mehta), and in which he made his debut in Munich under the baton of Mehta. She sang DON GIOVANNI (Donna Anna) to Glyndebourne, at Wiener Staatsoper and the Metropolitan, the role of Elettra in IDOMENEO in Dresden under the baton of Colin Davis, Vitellia in LA CLEMENZA DI TITO and the title role in LUISA MILLER at the Royal Opera House. We also remember her return to Opéra National de Paris in SIMON BOCCANEGRA and OTELLO.
At Teatro alla Scala, she sang Leonora in IL TROVATORE, Alice in FALSTAFF, Desdemona in OTELLO, La Contessa d’Almaviva in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Anaide in MOSÈ IN EGITTO and most recently Suor Angelica in IL TRITTICO.
Her repertoire also includes IL FLAMINIO of Pergolesi, LA BOHÈME at Wiener Staatsoper and at Metropolitan Opera, Donna Elvira in DON GIOVANNI, Sifare in MITRIDATE , RE DI PONTO in Turin and Paris with Christophe Rousset, Medora in IL CORSARO, Antonia in LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN, Alice in FALSTAFF in Rome with Daniele Gatti, in Florence with Pappano, and at Covent Garden with Haitink. She was Amelia in SIMON BOCCANEGRA, Margherite in FAUST, LUISA MILLER and Elisabetta in DON CARLO debuted at Teatro Comunale in Florence under the baton of Zubin Mehta, Liù in TURANDOT at Gran Teatre Liceu di Barcellona.
Brilliant and intense is also her activities pertaining concerts: she has worked with leading orchestras and famous conductors in the world. Her vast concert repertoire includes Verdi’s Requiem performed under the baton of Riccardo Muti, Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Chailly, Zubin Mehta, Valery Gergiev, Gianandrea Noseda along with bands like the Berlin Philharmonic, the Wiener Philharmonic, the Chicago Sinphony, the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala, the Boston Symphony Orchestra. His repertoire also includes Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, K.427 Mass in C minor by Mozart (London Symphony Orchestra / Colin Davis), Stabat Mater by Pergolesi, Stabat Mater by Rossini (Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra / Riccardo Chailly) Mahler’s Fourth Symphony (Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra / Bernard Haitink).
She has recently sung THAÏS in Turin, the Verdi Requiem conducted by Maestro Pappano at Covent Garden, COSÌ FAN TUTTE in Valencia and Vienna, LE NOZZE DI FIGARO in Madrid, at the Opéra National in Paris and at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, SIMON BOCCANEGRA conducted by James Levine in Boston, New York but also in Barcelona, CARMEN at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, LUISA MILLER at the Zurich Opera, LA BOHÈME in Tokyo Yokohama on tour with the Teatro Regio in Turin. And moreover SIMON BOCCANEGRA at the Metropolitan Opera, FALSTAFF and LA BOHÈME in Zurich and finally DON GIOVANNI at the Metropolitan Opera, in Washington and at Teatro alla Scala in Milan as well as ADRIANA LECOUVREUR in Barcelona, DON CARLO in New York and at Teatro Regio in Turin, IL TABARRO in Verbier, FALSTAFF at Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, LA BOHÈME and PAGLIACCI at Metropolitan Opera, FALSTAFF at the Berlin Staatsoper.
Josef Fuchs, Artistic Director, Artistic Advisor
Jokifu: Josef Fuchs born in Kitzbühel, Tirol, is an Austrian singer, actor and cultural manager. He studied vocal performance, musicology and communication at the University of Salzburg and started to work for the Salzburg Festival in 1998, as assistant to Markus Hinterhäuser (current Intendant of the festival) and production-manager for the Zeitfluss Festival.
In 2014 he was appointed head of Casting and Artistic Affairs at the Nederlandse Reisopera (Dutch National Touring Opera), where he is currently in the position of Casting Director.
Prior to this, from 2007 to 2014, Josef Fuchs appeared in Vienna as regular guest singer at the Wiener Burgtheater and Theater an der Wien, but also as actor for diverse off-scene projects.
Next to performing on stage he also worked many years as artist manager at the international opera agency Sono Artists, based in Vienna, and collaborating with couple of Austrian summer festivals in management and consulting.
Josef Fuchs has been coaching and advising young performers in professional summer work-shops and Young Artists Programs (Amsterdam) next to joining major international vocal competitions. He was part of the jury of the International Ada Sari Vocal Competition, the preliminary rounds of the Belvedere Singing Competition and the 57th International Vocal Competition ’s-Hertogenbosch (IVC) in Amsterdam in 2024. He also presented the finals of the International Singing Competition for Baroque Opera Pietro Antonio Cesti, part of the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music, in 2012.
The profession of an operasinger requires these days a wider set of skills, and a profound understanding of the artist's position within the larger picture. This is where the workshop "artistic entrepreneurship” can provide excellent help by stimulating new perspectives on career choices and fine-tuning decision making that is in line with the individual profile and qualities of a certain artist.
The work-shop focusses on essential performance skills that are not connected to the vocal cords but as important to help build a successful business plan. In a group setting we will elaborate on certain given and improvised topics, in a mix of lecture, dialogue and group sessions. This way we can use the collective know-how and exchange experiences, and already start to widen the network and awareness of each participant for their professional journey.
Massimiliano Di Fino
Pianist, Organist, Composer, ConducTenor
Born in Bergamo, he graduated in 1994 from the G. Donizetti Music Institute in the same city in Pianoforte, Organ and Composition with top marks. He has attended advanced courses held by illustrious names such as G. Parodi and A. Sacchetti.
Parallel to his piano and organ activities, he undertook studies in choral conducting, orchestra and opera singing.
He also worked extensively in collaboration with instrumental and vocal ensembles, always enjoying great success with both audiences and critics.
At only 16 years old, after winning a competition organised by the Società Umanitaria in Milan as ‘best student of the Bergamo Conservatory’, he performed C. Franck's complete works for organ in the Basilica di S. Carlo in Milan.
A great virtuoso, an attentive and sensitive interpreter, a variegated personality but with very precise ideas rooted in the European and Italian organ historical and cultural tradition, he has ventured into all genres of organ music and always with great success.
Over the years, he has devoted himself particularly to 19th-century Italian organ music becoming an expert connoisseur and performer, thanks also to his study of opera singing and the vast repertoire of vocal music.
He has served as Maestro pianist accompanist, at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa and at the G. Donizetti Theatre in Bergamo.
Davide Bottarelli, Conductor, Pianist
He began studying piano at the age of six and then continued his studies at the Conservatorio ‘Luca Marenzio’ in Brescia with Maestro Riccardo Bettini, graduating brilliantly in principal piano, later specialising with Maestro A. de Curtis , Ludmilla Tarassova and Carlo Balzaretti. Since ‘94 he has participated in numerous concerts both in Italy and abroad (Vatican,Prague, Vienna, Salzburg ,Melk ). Since 2014, he has been the stable director of the ‘Coro Polifonico la Rocchetta - Renzo Pagani’. In 2012 he obtained the International Master's degree ‘Conducting Beethoven Symphony’, conducting the ‘Orchestra Regionale Filarmonica Veneta’, with teachers Romolo Gessi ,Lior Shambadal . In 2014, again at the same International Master, he received the ‘Diploma of Merit’ distinguishing himself among the best students of the course. In 2015, at the end of the three-year course at the European Conducting Academy in Vicenza, he obtained a Diploma in Conducting. In 2017, he obtained the Academic Diploma of Proficiency. He then specialised with internationally renowned conductors such as J. Kalmar, D. Renzetti, S. Thorp and W. Tachezi, and won the International Conducting Competition ‘BLACK SEA COMPETITION’ Constanta Symphony Orchestra, with thirty final participants selected from all over the world, ranking 1st among European conductors and 3rd in the international ranking, and was invited as a guest conductor for the 2017 symphonic season.
He was a collaborator with the La Rocchetta R.P. choir at the Teatro A. Ponchielli in Cremona for the production of C. Orff's Carmina Burana . Finalist in the choral review competition ‘ Cantus ’. he then performed as conductor at the final concert at the Teatro Grande in Bescia. In 2018, he conducted ‘Orchestra sinfonica dei Colli Morenici’ in several concerts with a repertoire of sacred and chamber music. In the same year he was assistant collaborator of IYAP ‘International Young Artist Project’ as conductor for the production of Mozart's Requiem performed in 2 concerts with ‘Oida Orchestra’. In 2021 he was awarded the Silver Diploma at the Rimini Intenational Choral Competition. In 2022 he is first pianist in C. Orff's Carmina Burana with Il Coro Lirico Ponchielli Vertova Cremona , conducting the production in 2023; also in 2022 he is musical director in two productions of Bohème with the agency ‘Musica Proibita’ in collaboration with singers Barbara Frittoli and Fabio Armiliato. In 2023 he is a winner in the following international competitions: first prize GOLD PRIZE at the International Global Genius Music Competition - Hanwell - London , first prize at the World Classic Music awards and first prize at the Universal Gold star Competition. Also in 2023 he is co-founder and principal musical director of the Fideli Youth Orchestra
Christian Bester, Baritone
Hailed by the Los Angeles Times as “Impressive,” South African baritone, DR. CHRISTIAN
BESTER, made his professional debut as Schaunard in La Bohème for Pro Musica Theater in
South Africa and his European debut as Zaremba in Polin Blut for the Americke Jaro Festival in
the Czech Republic. Additional critically acclaimed roles include Major General, Gianni
Schicchi, Don Giovanni, Count Almaviva, Belcore, Enrico, Marcello, Germont, Aeneas,
Guglielmo, Escamillo, Prince Moritz Popolescu, Basil (Der Graf von Luxemburg) and Dr.
Malatesta. Orchestral engagements include the Fort Worth Symphony, Kwazulu Natal
Philharmonic Orchestra, Manitowoc Symphony, Lone Star Wind Orchestra, Allen Philharmonic,
and Dallas Symphony Orchestra League. As a Professional Fellow, Dr. Bester participated in
Songfest, one of the United States of America’s premiere festivals dedicated solely to art songs,
working with titans in the art song field, such as Graham Johnson, Libby Larson, and Martin
Katz. His research interest focuses on marginalized social groups and exposing Afrikaans Art
Song Literature to a wider audience. Two articles on Afrikaans Lyric Diction co-authored with
colleague Dr. Bronwen Forbay were published in the NATS Journal of Singing in
2022. Afrikaans Art Song Literature: Translation and Pronunciation Guide also coauthored with
Dr. Forbay, will be published by Oxford University Press in 2025. Dr. Bester served as the
Artistic Director for Voces Intimae: The Art of Song, a non-profit organization that brings Art
Songs to the Dallas/Fort Worth community. He is a sought-after recitalist, presenter and clinician
with regular presentations, performances and masterclasses throughout the United States, United
Kingdon, Europe, Australia, and South Africa. Dr. Bester currently serves as Assistant Professor
of Voice at the Greenwood School of Music at Oklahoma State University.
Maria Paola Oreglia, Actress, Director
Simona Rosa, Actress, Director
Founder and coordinator of volunteers to support reading in the family: the "Geni-Lettori"Theatrical training, use of the voice, diction with :Gabriella Pertusi; Armando Leopaldo; Alessandra Patrucco; Idea theater; Reverse Theatre; Danny Lemmo (Actor Studio in New York); Lucilla Giagnoni; Alessandro Mor; Anna Teotti; "Odyssey of the scene" conducted by Maria Elena Garavelli – Monica Gilardetti; Accademia Nazionale della Voce-Roma by Daniela de Meo with Monica Ward and Massimo Lopez; Massimo Corvo (Italian voice of Sylvester Stallone, Jean Renò...); Student selected at the Workshop of Paolo Nani "The search for my show" Filodrammatici theater in Milan; Matteo Belli training on the timbre qualities of the voice.
Training Reading, Theatre-therapy:
Training course on reading, texts and reading strategies Mondadori Spa "Un tesoro di libraio" training,
texts and reading strategies. Collaborations with psychotherapists Laura Consolati, Laura Pasolini Italian School of Playback-Theatre theatre of spontaneity.
AGITA Association to implement together the "Guidelines" of the law 107 qualified training body and accredited by the MIUR.; NPL – LOMBARDY with ACP (Ass.Culturale Pediatri) AIB (Ass.Italiana Bibliotecari)
Path of knowledge and interpretation of the activity of the self through archetyped tools by the psychologist Alessandra Nodari
Foundation of the Brescian Community – Musical-Mente and Artedo Network srl
theatrical and musical project of social and scholastic integration of children with disabilities and / or psychic and dsa, as specific training for teachers LOL Orchestra, Band & Drama The ARTEDO project is accredited by MIUR;
For the Cultural Renaissance Association she has curated meetings for Massimo Polidoro (Italian journalist, writer and scientific popularizer, national secretary of CICAP) and Maria Pia Ammirati (Director of Rai Teche and writer)
Teacher for the theatrical workshop "Il vizio della memoria" aimed at students of the Luigi Einaudi High School Institute (Chiari, Brescia) winner of the First Prize awarded by the Municipality of Brescia and the National Association of Partisans of Italy
She made her debut as a director and creator with "Ulysses and women" and "Fragments of voices" taken from Spoon River by E.L.Master," The ashes of Angelo" "I carry the signs of your pain" against violence against women, "Villa of oleanders", "The thousandths of life" "Three funerals, a marriage and the prediction of the bird" and the series of "We are in a book" and "The Voice of the Witches"
She collaborated with Treccani-Istituto dell' Enciclopedia Italiana conducting the experiential laboratory of promotion to reading "Ti leggo" spread throughout the national territory, concluded in Chiari in 2016 during the Review of Micro-Publishing. Realization and direction of short films:
"Don't forget my name""Dance Macabre" for Istituto R.L. Montalcini Scuola secondaria di Iseo e Musical-Mente
"I was so afraid and I didn't know how to say it" for Associazione Auser Dramaturgy:
"Grey fields, red flowers" by Christian Pizzati (direction and realization of the theatrical event for the 2021/2022)
She brings to the stage as creator, director and performer:
"When I was little" on behalf of Coop. Social Cloud on psychic discomfort;
"Snow White, the giants and the clothesline" "The Gift, literary journey De Le Cose Belle"
" DIÁGNŌSIS: The Relief" ASST Franciacorta-Fondazione Sagittaria Onlus-Rete Territoriale Del Dolore e delle Cure Palliative "
"Provoco, so sono" eventi included in the Review of the South-West Brescia Library System "a book, please!
"Once upon a time... The princess who was saved" theatrical performance against gender violence for ASST Franciacorta and Alma di Penelope
"Carnevalate d'Autore evening between texts, soliloquies and songs of Rostand, Shakespeare, Trilussa..."
"Extreme Resources, Story of Judyta" written and performed by Simona Rosa
Show included in MOSAICO-CEM.IT official website of the Jewish Community of Milan in the Agenda of Memory 2019 and 2020.
Giulio Zappa, Vocal Coach, Pianist
Giulio Zappa was born in Monza in 1971. He completed his musical studies under the guidance of Oleg Marshev, graduating in Piano with top marks and honours. At the same time, he graduated in Foreign Languages and Literature at the State University of Milan with a thesis on Russian opera. He trained as a repertory accompanist in Milan, in Bianca Maria Casoni's singing class.
He then specialised with Aldo Ciccolini and Irwin Gage, with the latter in the vocal chamber music repertoire. Since 1996, he has carried out intense concert activity all over the world, as well as being frequently invited as vocal coach - maestro collaboratore - in numerous theatres and festivals in Europe and Asia, such as the Opera National Bordeaux, the Opera de Lorraine, the Seoul Art Center, the Teatro Real Madrid, the Teatro de la Maestranza Seville the Festival Mozart de La Coruna, the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, the Tenerife Opera Festival, the Festival de la Opera in Las Palmas, the Wigmore Hall, John Smith's Square, Rudolfinum Prague, the Conservatorio Verdi in Milan, the Teatro alla Scala, the Wiener Staatsoper, the Biwako Hall and the Saint Petersburg Philarmonie.
He was vocal coach and accompanist pianist at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro for the productions of La Gazzetta, Torvado and Dorliska, La Gazza Ladra, Sigismondo and Matilde di Shabran for the Dynamic and Decca labels.He has had the opportunity to collaborate with artists of various generations of Italian and foreign opera, such as Giulietta Simionato, Luis Alva, Luciano Pavarotti, Katia Ricciarelli, Lella Cuberli, Piero Cappuccilli, Enzo Dara, Leo Nucci, Michele Pertusi, Gregory Kunde, Daniela Barcellona, Juan Diego Florez, Dmitry Korchak, Larry Brownlee, Mariella Devia, Erwin Schrott, Luca Pisaroni, Olga Peretyatko, Marina Rebeka and numerous artists of the new generation.
He has had the opportunity to work with directors and conductors of the calibre of A. Zedda, G. Kuhn, L. Jia, A. Allemandi, P. Olmi, M. Barbacini, P. Fournillier, M. Mariotti, C. Rizzi, M. Martone, D. Fo, G. Strehler, L. Ronconi, M. Hampe, P. Pizzi, Martinoty, G. Vick.
In recent years, he has successfully dedicated himself to teaching piano accompanists and singers, and has been invited to various institutions, including the Bologna Opera School, Teatro Real and Escuela Superior de Canto in Madrid, University of Jaen, Opera Studio in Tel Aviv and Bol'shoj Theatre Academy in Moscow. His upcoming and recent engagements include a recital tour in Barcelona, Valencia, Pesaro, Moscow and Lausanne, Toulouse, Wiener Staatsoper, Zurich, Madrid, at Teatro alla Scala, Tokyo Opera Theatre, a production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Glyndebourne festival), Semiramide at Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro.
Since 2013, he has been artistic director of a project (Opera EStudio) for the discovery of young opera talents in Tenerife (Spain).