On March 15, the Teatro La Fenice in Venice paid tribute to Maurizio Ferrari during the Grand Opera Gala for the 40th anniversary of the Circolo della Lirica Padova.
In 2023, the Circolo della Lirica of Padova, to celebrate its fortieth anniversary, scheduled an extraordinary program that continues into the current year and culminates with the most prestigious event promoted by the Fondazione Teatro La Fenice in Venice – the Grand Opera Gala, with the Teatro La Fenice orchestra conducted by Nicola Simoni.
The concert was hosted at Teatro Malibran, an Italian gem and Venice’s second opera house. The initiative was supported by the Ferrari e Salimbeni Foundation in memory of Maurizio Ferrari.
Passion for opera has always held an important place in the entrepreneur’s life, serving as a driving force for constant exploration and participation. Despite numerous work commitments, Maurizio Ferrari managed to “chase” the operas he loved most around the world, becoming a refined connoisseur. This great passion led him to establish a foundation for music, aiming to provide financial support, through scholarships and other projects, for the training and careers of young singers so they could continue their artistic development. A bitter fate prevented him from seeing his project realized, which has now become a reality.
The Grand Gala program, dedicated to him, focused on the Italian and French romantic repertoire, from Bizet to Gounod, Donizetti to Verdi, with a special tribute to Puccini on the 100th anniversary of his passing. The cast featured prestigious names from the opera scene, artists closely connected to the Padova Association who generously participated in the event, including Desirée Rancatore, Marina De Liso, Silvia Regazzo, Fabio Armiliato, Carlos Natale, Alex Martini, and young singers Melissa Purnell, Michele Giaquinto, Luigi Morassi, and Yuri Guerra, all former students of the Padova Opera Academy project. The evening was hosted by Maestro Stefano Vizioli.
The celebrations, which began in March 2023 with the production of Purcell’s opera *Dido and Aeneas* in Padova and at the Teatro Comunale of Ferrara with a cast of young artists led by mezzo-soprano Marina De Liso and directed by Giovanni Dispenza, continued as per tradition with a series of concerts, conferences, and semi-staged performances featuring young artists and prestigious guests.
"Forty years have passed, and the Circolo della Lirica of Padova," stated President Dr. Nicoletta Scalzotto, in office since 2012, "is more active than ever! The association remains vibrant and dynamic, playing a significant role in the opera scene in Padova." Various cultural and social activities have taken place over the years, with successful and increasingly artistic events demonstrating continuous vitality, particularly over the past ten years, with a focus on young artists. This effort included the creation of the Padova Opera Academy in 2011, which promotes masterclasses under the guidance of prestigious vocal coaches and successful directors such as Alessandra Althoff, Fernando Cordeiro Opa, Stefano Vizioli, Pablo Maritano, Marina De Liso, Giovanni Dispenza, and with the artistic direction of Nicola Simoni.
