NEW PRODUCTION: PONCHIELLI »LA GIOCONDA«

Antonio Pappano is the Chief Conductor of the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia from 2005 to 2023. His last opera engagement in Salzburg was at the Summer Festival in 2013, when he conducted Giuseppe Verdi’s »Don Carlos«. He is returning to Salzburg in 2024 to conduct Amilcare Ponchielli’s »La Gioconda« at the Easter Festival, a work that has never before been performed here. The British director Oliver Mears (currently the Director of Opera at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden) will direct this story about the unhappy love affair of a ballad singer. The German visual artist Philipp Fürhofer will design the sets.

Anna Netrebko will make her long-awaited debut at the Easter Festival in the title role, after her planned debut in  »Turandot« cancelled in 2021 when the Easter Festival fell foul of the pandemic. Jonas Kaufmann will sing alongside her in the role of Enzo Grimaldo. He made his debut at the Easter Festival in 2012 in »Carmen«, subsequently sang in »Cavalleria rusticana / Pagliacci« in 2015 and is returning in 2023 as Tannhäuser. For Anna Netrebko, this new production will also mark her debut in the role.

The cast will also feature Agnieszka Rehlis (La Cieca), Eve-Maud Hubeaux (Laura), Tareq Nazmi (Alvise Badoero) and Luca Salsi (Barnaba).

CHORAL CONCERT -  VERDI: MESSA DA REQUIEM

Giuseppe Verdi was made an honorary member of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in 1844. The first performance of his Requiem by the Orchestra of the Accademia took place on 4 April 1898 under the baton of Stanislao Falchi. Since then, the Orchestra has programmed it on more than 80 occasions, conducted variously by Arturo Toscanini, Tullio Serafin, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Daniele Gatti, Antonio Pappano, Manfred Honeck and others.

In Salzburg, the solo parts will be sung by Sonya Yoncheva, Judit Kutasi, Jonas Kaufmann and Michele Pertusi. The orchestra will be joined by the Coro dell’Accademia di Santa Cecilia and the Salzburg Bach Choir.

ORCHESTRAL CONCERT I: BOCCHERINI – BERIO / PONCHIELLI / DE SABATA / RESPIGHI

Italy as seen by Italian composers is what links the works of the First Orchestral Concert, conducted by Antonio Pappano. The programme features Luigi Boccherini’s »La ritirata da Madrid« in the version arranged by Luciano Berio, who was the President of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia from 1999 to 2003.

Victor De Sabata is remembered today above all as a conductor. He stood on the podium of the Santa Cecilia 90 times between 1921 and 1952. But he also devoted himself to composition from 1909 to 1934, writing operas, ballets, symphonic poems, piano music and incidental music, including »Juventus«.

The programme will be completed by Almicare Ponchielli’s »Elegia« of 1883 and two of Ottorino Respighi’s most famous masterpieces, .»Fontane di Roma« and »Pini di Roma«. These last two works were premiered in Rome by the Orchestra dell’Accademia di Santa Cecilia.

ORCHESTRAL CONCERT II: BERLIOZ / MARTINŮ

The Second Orchestral Concert is also dedicated to Italy, but this time with works by non-Italians offering their own perspective on the country. The guest conductor will be Jakub Hrůša, the Principal Guest Conductor of Santa Cecilia and soon to be the new Music Director of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden.

Their programme will open with »Les Fresques de Piero della Francesca«, an atmospheric symphonic poem composed in 1955 by Bohuslav Martinů. It was given its world premiere at the 1956 Salzburg Festival, conducted by Rafael Kubelik.

There follow two works by the French composer Hector Berlioz, who was able to live and work at the Villa Medici in Italy: »Harold in Italy«. The Israeli violist Pinchas Zukerman will play the solo part, here in his debut with the Orchestra di Santa Cecilia. The programme will also feature »Le carnaval romain«, adapted in 1843 from Berlioz’s opera »Benvenuto Cellini«.

The baritone Christian Gerhaher and his long-time accompanist Gerold Huber have put together a programme of songs by Johannes Brahms – including his »Regenlied« cycle.

The celebrated soprano Lise Davidsen will be making her Salzburg debut, and together with the tenor Freddie De Tommaso and the pianist James Baillieu she will be giving an evening of arias, songs and duets from Wagner to Verdi, Puccini and Tosti.

The Easter Festival intends continuing the newly founded dance and electro programme in 2024, and will be inviting internationally known artists to engage with the topic of Italy and the South. Details will be announced at a later date.