Subject: Signor Goldoni
Genre: Opera
At: the Italian Cultural Institute,
39 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8NX
Press Officer:
Stefania Bochicchio direct line 0207 396 4402
email [email protected]
Free event, but booking essential Tel. 02073964430
6th February 2008 7 pm
First encounter at the Italian Cultural Institute with the opera “Signor Goldoni”
It is rare nowadays to premiere a fully fledged new Opera; nonetheless in September 2007 the
famous Theatre in Venice ‘La Fenice’ premiered “Signor Goldoni”, a comic drama in two acts
commissioned to celebrate the tricentenary of Carlo Goldoni's birth.
Carlo Goldoni occupies a special place in the history of Italian Theatre, having been credited with
the invention of modern Italian comedy, that is, the “acting” of a written script during the
performances, as opposed to the improvisation of the Commedia dell’Arte, a form of theatre
based on masks, still very popular in the 18th Century.
The English libretto of “Signor Goldoni”, depicting the imaginary world of the great playwright,
has been written by the Italian writer Gianluigi Melega; the musical score has been composed by
Maestro Luca Mosca of the Venice Music Conservatory.
The Italian Cultural Institute in London has the pleasure of hosting an evening of music, featuring
a selection of arias from “Signor Goldoni”, performed by soprano Alda Caiello and baritone
Roberto Abbondanza, two of the principal singers who took part in the original production of the
Opera at La Fenice. They will be accompanied at the piano by the composer.
Luca Mosca graduated from Milan Conservatory, where he studied composition with Donatoni
and Sciarrino, and piano with Antonio Ballista. As a pianist, he recorded, amongst others,
Debussy’s Etudes (CGD CLS). His compositions have been performed in many important
Festivals of contemporary music: Avignon, Wien Modern, …
Alda Caiello, coloratura soprano, specializes in the contemporary repertoire. In 2007 she has
performed at the Musikverein and Konzerthaus as part of Wien Modern, and took part in the
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. She has recorded extensively, with BMG, Stradivarius, …
Roberto Abbondanza, baritone, specializes in the contemporary Italian repertoire, having
performed operas by Dallapiccola, Donatoni, Maderna, Nono, Malipiero, Morricone, Vacchi. He
has recorded with Opus 111, Stradivarius, Tactus and Fone’.