July 14 – Great opera takes the stage in France, where Michele Mariotti will have his double debut. The principal conductor of the Bologna Municipal Theatre, tomorrow at 8pm directs for the first time at the Festival de Radio France in Montpellier, with a rarely performed opera: “Zingari” by Ruggero Leoncavallo. The concert with the Symphony Orchestra de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya is scheduled at Le Corum – Opéra Berlioz in Montpellier, and will be broadcast live in Italy on Radio3Rai. “It’s going to be an exciting challenge, as this opera is particularly hard on the vocals, and this is my first time presenting it in concert – says Mariotti – The Verismo movement to which the opera belongs is often associated with extreme vocals and very high pitched tones, but in this score there are also moments of ecstatic love which lead to a really amazing expressive dimension.” Soprano Leah Crocetto, tenor Danilo Formaggia, baritone Fabio Capitanucci and bass-baritone Sergey Artamonov will perform, preceded by the Scènes Napolitaines, suite d’orchester n. 5 of Jules Massenet.