On August 1, 2017 Massimo Cavalletti will make his Savonlinna Opera Festival debut as Riccardo in I puritani, in a Teatro Real Madrid guest production by Emilio Sagi conducted by Evelino Pidò. Alongside him, Maria José Moreno will interpret the role of Elvira, Francesco Demuro that of Arturo and Fernando Radò will be Sir Giorgio. He will sing an additional performance on August 4.
“This is my second outing as Sir Riccardo Forth, after my role debut in 2015 in Florence.”, states Massimo Cavalletti. “ I am pleased to say that this time I feel much more comfortable with the hurdles of this role, thanks also to Maestro Evelino Pidò, who helped me fine-tune this pinnacle of bel-canto. Riccardo is in my view a positive character: a highly principled man, he is also a victim of an unrequited love. His highlights are his Act I entrance aria where he can display his great soul aided by Bellini’s magnificent vocal lines, and the Act II finale, the duet with Sir Giorgio, a justly immortal and wildly popular operatic excerpt that highlights their great interpretative and moral strength. Emilio Sagi gives a meaning and a motivation to everything we are required to do on stage, and I believe his production looks even better here in this natural space offered by the Savonlinna Castle, a theatre in reality as well as a reality in theatre.
Massimo Cavalletti’s engagements following this Puritani include Ford in Falstaff with the Teatro alla Scala at the Astana Opera, his debut in the title role of Gianni Schicchi at the Dutch National Opera, his debut at the Paris Opera as the protagonist of Il barbiere di Siviglia, his return to the Metropolitan Opera as Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, and his role debut as Conte di Luna in Il trovatore at the Florence Opera House.
Information about I puritani at the Savonlinna Festival:
Jessica Pratt 31.7., 3.8. / Maria José Moreno 1.8., 4.8. (Elvira)
Jongmin Park 31.7., 3.8./ Fernando Radó 1.8., 4.8. (Sir Giorgio)
Celso Albelo 31.7., 3.8. / Francesco Demuro 1.8., 4.8. (Arturo)
Vladimir Stoyanov 31.7., 3.8. / Massimo Cavalletti 1.8., 4.8. (Riccardo)
Lídia Vinyes-Curtis (Enrichetta)
Antonio Di Matteo (Lord Gualtiero Valton)
Antonio Lozano (Sir Bruno Robertson)
Emilio Sagi (stage director), Evelino Pidò (conductor)