Greek soprano Myrtò Papatanasiu is playing the title role in La Traviata.

A Maltese company is currently very busy in Rome preparing for its first major event – a full-blown opera in the heart of Rome.

Ars Cantandi, a trade name of company Piemmegi Ltd, is teaming up with a newly set-up Italian philanthropic entity, Arts for Life, to produce Giuseppe Verdi’s much-loved three-act opera La Traviata on April 10 at the Auditorium Conciliazione, home to Accademia di Santa Cecilia for 80 years.

The opera brings together an international cast of repute, including Greek soprano Myrtò Papatanasiu in the title role, tenor Davide Giusti as Alfredo, world-known baritone – and no newcomer to Maltese operagoers – Carlo Guelfi as Papà Germont, and mezzo-soprano Isabella Palermo in the role of Flora. The opera is under the baton of renowned conductor Francesco La Vecchia, while stage direction is in the hands of Enrico Stinchelli.

Ars Cantandi and Piemmegi Ltd are a relatively new venture, set up in 2012 by former Maltese journalist Marion Zammit and Italian husband Massimiliano Pulvano Guelfi. Both are lovers of opera and have been involved in the genre, whether off or on stage, since their childhood.

The opera brings together an international cast of repute

Guelfi comes from a very musical family. His grandfather was a well-known vocal coach and his mother sang on a number of occasions at the Teatro dell’Opera. His aunt performed at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, while baritone Carlo Guelfi is his uncle. On his part, he has a diploma in voice and a degree in musicology, besides singing opera and sacred music ever since he was a child, including with the Cappella Sistina.

Italian baritone Carlo Guelfi will play the role of Papà Germont in Giuseppe Verdi’s opera.

Zammit was a volunteer at Teatru Astra in Gozo and started being involved in opera production in her teens. In 2001 she and her father thought of organising Festival Mediterranea around the annual opera event in Gozo.

Arts for Life is aimed at organising high-quality opera and music events to financially help medical research, hence its name.

La Traviata is the first of three opera appointments scheduled for this year at the Auditorium Conciliazione, the other two being Tosca to be held on May 31 and June 1 and Otello, on October 11 – the closing day of the bicentenary year of Verdi’s death.

Tickets for the events are being sold online via TicketOne and start at €20. More information is available from info@arscantandi.com or from Ars Cantandi’s Facebook page.