A giant…

 Since 2013, when he honoured us with a performance on our stage in the title role of I due Foscari by Verdi, the great Leo Nucci has often returned to Liège. We were able to appreciate his talent in his immense portrayals of Rigoletto, Nabucco and Macbeth.

A baritone from Bologna, Leo Nucci made his stage debut in 1967 in the role of Figaro (Il Barbiere di Siviglia) at the Teatro Lirico opera house in de Spoleto in Italy. Several years later, armed with a growing reputation, he made his debut at La Scala opera house in Milan where he played Figaro in the legendary production by J.P. Ponnelle. He has been the star of many productions under the direction of the greatest conductors: Abbado, Chailly, Muti, Maazel, Solti, etc. He has performed on mythical stages such as the Verona Arena, Covent Garden in London, the Vienna State Opera and the New York Met… His favourite role is Rigoletto which he has played more than 500 times triumphantly, thanks to both his singing prowess and the psychological dimension he lends to his character, confirming the adage: “Art is nothing without humanity”

Programme

Gioachino ROSSINI – Il Barbiere di Siviglia – « Largo al factotum… »

Giacomo PUCCINI – Gianni Schicchi – « In testa la cappellina… »

Deborah HENSON-CONANT – « Baroque flamenco » (arrangement for chamber orchestra)

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART – Le Nozze di Figaro – « Aprite un po’ quegl’occhi… »

Pietro Mascagni – Cavalleria rusticana – « Intermezzo » (for chamber orchestra)

Giuseppe VERDI – I Masnadieri – « La sua lampada vitale langue… »

Giuseppe VERDI – I Due Foscari – « Eccomi solo alfine… O vecchio cor che batti… »

Giuseppe VERDI – Il  Trovatore – « Il balen del suo sorriso… »

Giuseppe VERDI – La Traviata – Prelude of 3rd act (for chamber orchestra)

Giuseppe VERDI – I Vespri siciliani – « In braccio alle dovizie… »

Paolo MARCARINI –  Notturno  (for chamber orchestra from Falstaff  of Giuseppe VERDI)

Giuseppe VERDI – Don Carlo – « Per me giunto è il dì supremo… O Carlo ascolta… »

Orchestra : Italian Opera Chamber Orchestra

• Paolo Marcarini (piano and arrangements)
• Pierantonio Cazzulani (violin)
• Lino Pietrantoni (violin)
• Christian Serazzi (alto)
• Andrea Cavuoto (cello)
• Stefania Belotti (clarinette)
• Davide Burani (harp)