Testimonials
Katia Ricciarelli
I greatly esteemed Maestro Giovanni Velluti as usual accompanist in my concerts but also as a soloist. So I recommend everyone to have a great consideration and attention for this great musician.
Internationally renowned soprano
Born in Rovigo, Veneto, to a very poor family, she struggled during her younger years when she studied music.
She studied at the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice, won several vocal competitions in 1968,
and made her professional debut as Mimì in La bohème in Mantua in 1969, followed by a 1970 appearance
in Il trovatore in Parma. In the following year, she won RAI's "Voci Verdiane" award. Between 1972 and 1975,
engagements followed in the major European and American opera houses, including Lyric Opera of Chicago (1972);
Teatro alla Scala (1973); Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (1974); and the Metropolitan Opera in 1975.
In 1981, she began a decade-long association with the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, thus broadening
her repertoire of Rossini's operas.
Beside her many opera performances, she also appeared as Desdemona in Franco Zeffirelli's film version
of Verdi's Otello in 1986, alongside Plácido Domingo.
In 1991 she founded Accademia Lirica di Katia Ricciarelli and, since 2003, she has been Artistic Director
of the annual summer Macerata Opera Festival.
Massimo Scapin
In the tenor Alessandro Fantini one can easily recognize the characters of great confidence in the phrasing, of vocal and even scenic expressiveness.
Director of Liturgical Music at St. John Cantius, Chicago (IL), USA
Massimo Scapin, Italian conductor of both opera and the symphonic repertoire, composer and pianist,
holds degrees in piano and choral conducting from the State Conservatory of Music in Perugia,
in orchestral conducting and composition from the National College of Music in London.
He appeared as guest conductor and pianist in Europe, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea and USA.
He was conductor at the Musical Theatre of Galaţi, in Romania (2001-03) and at the Musical
Theater of Karaganda, in Kazakhstan (2008). From 1996 to 2008, Massimo Scapin conducted
the symphonic concerts of the Portuguese Cultural Institute in Rome.
In 2011 he became assistant professor in vocal literature and piano accompanying at the
Catholic University of Daegu, in South Korea. From 2013 to 2016 he took the podium as
associate conductor of the Karaganda Symphony Orchestra, whose reputation increased
during his tenure.
He was director of music for the Diocese of Charleston (SC), USA and currently serves as
director of liturgical music at St. John Cantius, Chicago (IL), USA.
Daniel Smith
Want to hear opera's greatest arias in an intimate setting, accompanied with anecdotes in English and a complimentary glass of Prosecco? A hidden gem is RomeConcerts, just metres from Castel Sant'Angelo and near the Vatican. Tell them "ciao!" from me and you might just get an extra Prosecco!
World-champion Australian conductor
Direttore Principale Ospite of Teatro Carlo Felice in Italy, conductor Daniel Smith
has been the first Australian to conduct The Mariinsky Orchestra.
He has also conducted the Czech Philharmonic,
London Philharmonic, Spain’s Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana at the Palau des les Arts Reina Sofía,
Italy’s RAI National Symphony Orchestra, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma,
Teatro San Carlo, Warsaw National Philharmonic, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie,
New Japan Philharmonic, RTÉ National Symphony of Ireland, Indianapolis Symphony and the Danish National
Symphony, among others.
Daniel Smith has also conducted at many festivals including World Expo, Stars of the White Nights,
Mozarteum Festspiele, Järvi Summer Festival, Estate Musicale Chigiana Siena, Aspen Music Festival,
Sydney Olympic Arts Festival, MiTo Festival and the Proms, Kraków.