The Great Opera Arias
The talented musicians from the ensemble I Solisti dell’Opera Lirica di Roma celebrate leading Italian composers with the special concert The Great Opera Arias. At the Sala Dante, a hall overlooking the Trevi Fountain within the Palazzo Poli, a string quartet, a tenor, and a soprano interpret standout melodies from many different time periods. Even though the focus is clearly on the opera arias of maestros such as Giacomo Puccini and Giuseppe Verdi, the programme also features instrumental performances that let the string quartet’s talents shine as well as a Neapolitan song that adds a different colour to the evening. To make the experience even fuller, before the concert begins, you can visit the palace's art exhibition. Visiting the Palazzo Poli before the concert starts, at 19:30, is free of charge. Nevertheless, concertgoers should be aware that the palace's last admittance is at 18:30 and visiting times are over by 19:00.
The programme includes several masterful instrumental pieces: ‘Adagio’ from the Concerto for Oboe and Strings in C-Minor by Benedetto Marcello plus ‘Spring’, ‘Winter’ and ‘Summer’ from the celebrated Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi. ‘Galop’ from Wilhelm Tell by Gioachino Rossini and Luigi Boccherini’s ‘Minuetto’ for string quartet are also on the bill, both exceptional classical music pieces. An intermezzo drawn from Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana completes the instrumental music chosen for the concert.
The Neapolitan song ‘Torna a Surriento’ by Ernesto De Curtis, with its inimitable melody, features as one of the vocal portions of the evening, as does ‘Musica proibita’, an Italian romance by Stanislao Gastaldon. The much-loved music of Giacomo Puccini also makes several appearances, including his classic tenor aria, ‘E lucevan le stelle’ from Tosca. ‘O mio babbino caro’ from Gianni Schicchi and ‘Nessun dorma’ from Turandot are the other well-known Puccini arias that complete the great composer's contribution to proceedings.
In addition, Giuseppe Verdi’s vocal ensemble ‘Bella figlia dell’Amore’ from the stunning Rigoletto constitutes part of the impressive programme. The talented musicians of Opera Lirica di Roma and the classy atmosphere of Palazzo Poli, in the heart of Rome, make The Great Opera Arias concert a versatile and memorable experience.