Opera in the Cleveland Italian Cultural Garden August 9,2009
Brava to Joyce Mariani, Executive Director of the Italian Cultural Garden Foundation, and her team for once again bringing live opera to the Garden. The August 9, 2009 event was part of the Italian Renaissance Cultural Garden's "Viva Cultura Italiana" cultural series.
Dedicated "as a symbol of Italian culture" in 1930, the Italian Cultural Garden hosted the San Carlo Opera sixty-six years ago in its lower level amphitheater.
In 2008, the Italian Garden Foundation was proud to present opera once again to revive this tradition.
Today, Italian renaissance gardens throughout Italy, such as the Boboli Renaissance Gardens in Florence, Italy present concerts of opera, ballet and popular music. Performances by Opera Per Tutti filled the Garden on that warm summer evening.
Bravissimo!
Enjoy these photos and videos from that wonderful evening.
Crowds filled the Garden in anticipation of the performance
Andrea Anelli
'Il Bacio' (The Kiss) by Luigi Arditi sung by Andrea Anelli
Italian Opera meets the Wild West in Puccini's 'Ch'ella mi creda' from La Fanciulla del West sung by J.R. Fralick
Scott Skiba
The famous 'Largo' from the Barber of Seville by Rossini sung by Scott Skiba
'O mio babbino caro' aria from Puccini's one act comedy Gianni Schicchi
Dan Doty
Two arias from Puccini's Tosca. "Recondita armonia' sung by Dan Doty and 'Vissi d'arte' sung by Andrea Anelli
William Marshall
'Bella siccome un angel' (Beautiful like an angel) aria from Don Pasquale by Donizetti sung by William Marshall
Verdi's 'Brindisi' from La Traviata is one of the most famous opera drinking songs
Andrea Anelli
'Ebben n'andro lontana' aria from La Wally opera by Catalani sung by Andrea Anelli
'Questo Amor' from the opera Edgar by Puccini performed by Scott Skiba
'Caro Nome' from Verdi's Rigoletto
J.R. Fralick and Andrea Anelli
'Suzel buon di' duet from L'amico Fritz opera by Mascagni
performed by J.R. Fralick and Andrea Anelli
'Merce dilette amiche' from I Vespri Siciliani opera by Verdi sung by by Andrea Anelli
'Che gelida manina' from La Boheme by Puccini performed by J.R. Fralick
Andrea Anelli and J.R. Fralick
'O suave fanciulla' duet from La Boheme by Puccini performed by Andrea Anelli and J.R. Fralick
The familiar aria 'Quando men vo' from La Boheme by Puccini
Scott Skiba and Dan Doty
'O Mimi tu piu non torni' from Puccini's La Boheme sung by Scott Skiba and Dan Doty
'Nessun Dorma' from Puccini's Turandot sung by Dan Doty brought the crowd to their feet
The closing performance, 'Sextet' from Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti performed by Opera Per Tutti
The talented pianist
Bravi! We can't wait till next year for more Opera in the Italian Garden
