Italian operetta singers from the Laboratorio Lirico Europeo of Milan will be giving a concert at the Manoel Theatre, Valletta, next Saturday at 7.30pm.
The concert, titled Festa Italiana, is a tribute to Italy’s great singing tradition and will feature enduringly popular songs, selections from musicals and evergreen operettas.
The performers, already familiar to Maltese audiences, are operetta comedian and cantattore Walter Rubboli, soprano/ soubrette Tiziana Scaciga della Silva, tenor Andrea Bragiotto, soprano Barbara Fasol and pianist/musical director Debora Mori from Milan’s Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi – all of whom performed at the Manoel in last year’s concert, Serata all’Operetta.
The programme’s first part is dedicated to classical Italian and Neapolitan songs, duets and excerpts from musicals, including Cesare Andrea Bixio’s La strada nel bosco, Violino Tzigano, Torna, Solo per te Lucia, Ma cos’e’ questa crisi and Ciribiribin, among others.
Arias from operettas will be performed in the second part. They include Gastone (first performed in 1924 by the famous comedian Ettore Petrolini), Scugnizza, Cin ci la, Al cavallino bianco, Ballo al Savoy, La Rosa di Stambul, Il paese dei campanelli, La Principessa della Czarda and The Merry Widow.
Pianist Debora Mori will perform a medley of well-loved Italian songs.
The evening, compered by Albert Storace, is being presented by Fiesole Artistic Productions in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute.
Tickets are available from the Manoel Theatre tel. 2124 6389 or via e-mail to bookings@teatrumanoel.com.mt.
www.teatrumanoel.com.mt