The artistic team
ALESSANDRO FANTINI
TENOR
During his more than twenty-year career, the Italian tenor Alessandro Fantini has performed on numerous Italian and foreign stages, including some very prestigious ones such as the Teatro Comunale in Florence, the Teatro Regio in Turin, the Opéra-Comique in Paris, the Parco della Musica in Rome.
He has played numerous opera roles, among which those of Alfredo in "La traviata", Calaf in "Turandot", Canio in "Pagliacci", Cavaradossi in "Tosca", Manrico in "Il Trovatore", Pinkerton in "Madama Butterfly", Pollione in "Norma", Radamès in "Aida", Turiddu in “Cavalleria rusticana”.
He had the opportunity to share the scene with internationally renowned directors, directors and singers such as Evelyne Aiello, Walter Attanasi, Massimo de Bernart, Stefania Bonfadelli, Maria Luigia Borsi, Micaela Carosi, Francesco Ellero d'Artegna, Claudio Desderi, Nicola Luisotti , Paolo Miccichè, Stuart Mounder, Massimo Scapin.
The numerous opera recitals held all over the world together with pianist Giovanni Velluti has transformed, over the years, into a real artistic partnership that resulted in the founding of Rome Opera Concerts.
GIOVANNI VELLUTI
PIANIST
The Italian pianist Giovanni Velluti has forged a distinguished international career as soloist, chamber musician and accompanist. He has enjoyed a particularly important close association with Katia Ricciarelli, whom he has partnered since 1994 in many tours and television broadcasts throughout Europe, America, Africa and the Middle East, and in many television broadcastings.
Other leading singers with whom he has worked regularly are Andrea Bocelli, Gianfranco Cecchele, Manuela Custer, Daniela Dessì, Kristian Johansson, Daniela Barcellona, Carlo Lepore, Giacomo Prestia, Enrico Salvadori, Gianluca Terranova.
Giovanni was decisively influenced by his encounter with the teacher Rodolpho Caporali, a direct pianistic descendant of Chopin and Thalberg. He has performed as a soloist in the most important Italian concert halls and in more than 30 foreign countries.
FEDERICA GIBILISCO
SOPRANO
Federica Gibilisco, born in Rome, studied at the Santa Cecilia Conservatory and then with Renato Bruson at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena and with Mirella Freni in Modena.
She has performed as the leads in Verdi’s “La traviata”, Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’amore”, Mozart’s “Le nozze di Figaro” and “Die Zauberfloete”, Puccini’s “La bohème”, both in Italy and abroad. Recently Federica has also taken part in several important gala concerts, such as the one for UNICEF, in Siracusa and the one for Pope John Paul II at St. Peter’s Basilica, in Rome.
MONICA CUCCA
SOPRANO
In 2005 she graduates in lyrical singing at the Conservatory "Ottorino Respighi" in Latina, standing out as the best graduated of the year. She teaches both lyrical and light singing in several schools.
From 2008 to 2017 she played many opera roles including Giorgetta in "The cloak" by Puccini, Odabella in "Attila" by Verdi, Aida in "Aida" by Verdi, Santuzza in "Cavalleria rusticana" by Mascagni, Amelia in "Un ballo in maschera" by Verdi, Leonora in "Il trovatore" by Verdi, Nella in "Gianni Schicchi" by Puccini, Floria Tosca in "Tosca" by Puccini, Carmen in "Carmen" by Bizet.
In 2018 she played again the role of Aida in Castel Gandolfo, Mercedes (Carmen) and Lola (Cavalleria rusticana) at the Massa Marittima and Ameria festivals. At the end of the year she sang the "Petite Messe Solennelle" by Rossini. In 2019 she was Donna Elvira in "Don Giovanni" by Mozart.
ELISABETTA BRAGA
SOPRANO
Elisabetta Braga, soprano, took her degree in singing with full marks and honours at the "Santa Cecilia" Conservatory in Rome. After her degree she attended the High Music Specialization Courses in Norma and Norcia, the LTL Opera studio at the "Teatro Verdi" in Pisa and the masterclasses of the soprano Sumi Jo and the soprano Ines Salazar. She won the First Prize at the International Music Competition for Youth "Dinu Lipatti" in Rome, the First Prize at the International Competition "Simone Alaimo: Il belcanto" in Linguaglossa and the Special Prize at the "Jole De Maria Competition" in Tivoli.
He began as a light lyric soprano, performing the roles of Gilda in Verdi’s "Rigoletto", Adina in "L’elisir d’amore" directed by Walter Cataldi Tassoni, the Queen of the Night in "The Magic Flute" by Mozart. She performs as a soloist the "Messiah" oratory by Haendel and the "Stabat Mater" by Pergolesi. She moved later on to lyric roles, singing Mimì in "La bohème" by Puccini, Rosalinde in "Il Pipistrello" by Strauss, Violetta in "La traviata" by Verdi and Leonora in "Il trovatore" by Verdi.
Elisabetta has performed as a soloist in various festivals, including the prestigious Pontino Festival of Sermoneta; she held various recitals, performing also in Sweden. She has been a soloist for the Electroacoustic International Music Fest in Rome and for the concerts organized by the National Youth Agency.
SIMONA CANUTI
SOPRANO
Born in Rome, Simona Canuti studied lyric singing and vocal chamber music in her city, at the Conservatory of Santa Cecilia. She perfected herself following the Ines Salazar masterclasses and made her debut in the opera "La traviata" by Giuseppe Verdi, "La cenerentola" and "Il barbiere di Siviglia" by Gioachino Rossini.
She took part in recordings of soundtracks from the Biblical series "Apocalypse" and "John Paul II". She sang on the CD of the musical "Giovanna D’Arco" and in "San Francesco di Paola". She participated in the recording of "The Divine Comedy" on music by Mons. Marco Frisina and usually sings at the Papal Archbasilica of San Giovanni in Laterano. She was a soloist in the review of the VII and VIII Festival of sacred music of Cortona.
SAMANTHA SAPIENZA
SOPRANO
After completing his classical studies, she began to study singing with the soprano Francesca Gavarini. In October 2012 she graduated in lyrical singing at the Conservatorio Giuseppe Martucci of Salerno, with full marks and praise. She perfected herself in the operatic repertoire at the Opera studio of the Staatsoper of Munich.
Over the years, she has won numerous awards in national and international competitions.
Debutted roles: Aida, Anna (Nabucco), Amelia (Un Ballo in maschera), Berta (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly), Contessa (Le Nozze di Figaro), Luisa Miller, Kate Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Violetta Valery (La traviata).
MASSIMO SCAPIN
CONDUCTOR AND PIANIST
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 currently serves as director of music for the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina (USA).
Massimo has written the text for this site The music salons.
ROBERTO LORENZETTI
PIANIST
Roberto Lorenzetti was born in Rome and began his piano studies when he was six. He took his degree cum laude in Rome’s S.Cecilia Conservatoire. He attended masterclasses with Bruno Canino e Riccardo Risaliti.
As an accompanist he has played with many singers among whom Amarilli Nizza, Piero Giuliacci, Stefania Bonfadelli, and has worked with many theaters like teatro dell’Opera di Roma. He has also worked as accompanist in masterclasses held by Renato Bruson, Bonaldo Giaiotti and Antonio Juvarra.