Bass Rafał Siwek is billed as Zaccaria the High Priest in eight performances of Verdi’s Nabucco, and as Ramfis the High Priest in 11 performances of the same composer’s Aida. In recent years, Siwek has achieved an international reputation for his appearances at some of the world’s most renowned operatic venues, including Milan, Zurich, Berlin, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tel Aviv and Tokyo.
Soprano Aleksandra Kurzak, an international star with several seasons at the Metropolitan Opera in New York under her belt, is to appear in Verona at the end of July in a double-bill consisting of Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana (as Santuzza) and Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci (as Nedda).
The venue of the Verona Opera Festival is a Roman arena dating from around 30 AD, one of the largest and best-preserved amphitheatres from that period. It seats 15,000 spectators but because of COVID sanitary restrictions only 6,000 seats can be occupied. The tradition of the annual summer opera festivals in Verona goes back to 1913.
(mk/pk)