FESTIVE CONCERT

In this 2019 it has been 140 years since establishing diplomatic relations between Italy and Serbia, as well as 10 years since establishment of strategic partnership between Rome and Belgrade. The Embassy of Italy in Belgrade, the Italian Institute of Culture and the Opera & Theatre Madlenianum are organizing the exceptional artistic event, wishing to gift Belgrade audience the most beautiful Italian arias and duets, in the performance of great Italian and Serbian artists and under the baton of one of the most engaged Italian maestros.    

Alberto Veronesi (conductor)
Alberto Veronesi has been called a specialist in versimo opera, particularly in the works of Puccini, Leoncavallo, and Mascagni. When we look at his work regarding other composers, among whom are Salieri and Bellini as well, then we can conclude that the experience of Alberto Veronesi is much broader. In the orchestral realm, he has led performances of the complete symphonies of Beethoven, Bruckner, Mahler, and Shostakovich, and has conducted a fair number of Italian contemporary works. In 1990, Veronesi was appointed as music director of the Torre del Lago-based Puccini Festival and he has been leading this successfully to this day.

Donata D’Annunzio Lombardi (soprano)
Donata D'Annunzio Lombardi is the winner of the l'Albo D'Oro Puccini Award for her roles as Mimi, Magda, Liu, Madame Butterfly, sister Angelica, Manon Lesko. Along with her name goes the flattering recognition that she is one of the greatest interpreters of Puccini's works. Among many awards, she has won the first prize at the International Competition devoted to the chamber music of Francesco Paolo Tosti. Besides Z. K. Malguar, she has also received the award for the purity of performing Mozart's works and for Bach’s Mass in H minor. She has also received the Domenico Danzuso Award as well as the award for the best soloist in 2012 at Donizetti Festival. She has been performing in the most prestigious theatres in Italy and in the world.

Branislava Podrumac (soprano)
Branislava Podrumac, a multi-talented Serbian opera singer, won the UMUS Award for Best Young Artist in 2012 for her interpretation of the lead female role in the hit musical Rebecca by Sylvester Levay. With this role she started the successful collaboration with the Opera & Theatre Madlenianum, where she interprets Papagena in the children’s version of Mozart’s Magic Flute, Eponine in the musical Les Miserables and Neda in the opera Pagliacci. The special part of her career is cherishing of traditional and spiritual music, as well as performance of contemporary works of classical music.

Angelo Fiore (tenor)
Angelo Fiore is the winner of numerous competitions, including "Verdi" International Competition in Salsomaggiore Terme (Parma) and the "Titta Ruffo" Competition where he also made his debut role as Duke of Mantua in Livorno.
He has also been a member of the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation, performing at numerous concerts in the Theatre City Centre in New York, the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan and the Teatro Grande in Brescia. He performs in leading tenor roles around the world.

Nikola Mijailovic (baritone)
Nikola Mijailovic, the leading singer of the Opera of the National Theatre in Belgrade, a full time professor at the Vocal department of the Faculty of Music at the University of Arts in Belgrade, is the world renowned artist and a frequent guest on numerous significant opera stages worldwide. He is the Winner of the 5th Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition in Philadelphia in 1995, First Prize winner of Mario Lanza Competition in Philadelphia in 1995 and a Third Prize winner of Leyla Gencer International Voice Competition in Istanbul in 1997. He has performed at numerous major opera houses around the world. His repertoire includes about forty leading baritone roles.