Tenor Alessandro Liberatore, a pupil of Luciano Pavarotti, is the Calaf in the Cultural Center of the Philippines production of Puccini’s Turandot opening at the CCP Dec. 9 and 11.
Pavarotti sang in Manila in 1994
A winner of several voice competitions including the Enrico Caruso tilt, Liberatore has built a wide repertoire for several roles among them Rodolfo in La. Boheme, Tebaldo in Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma conducted by Nello Santi.
He has also sung the role of Alfredo in a Franco Zeffirelli production La Traviata in Salerno and Madrid.
This was announced by Margie Moran Floirendo president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines which is co-producing the opera with the Italian Embassy, Rustan’s and the Filipinas Opera Society Foundation, Inc. under Dr. Jaime C. Laya.
Recent roles for Liberatore roles included Riccardo in Un Ballo in Maschera, Lt. Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly in Tokyo and Otello and Werther, among others.
Playing the title role of Turandot is Korean diva Lilla Lee who is a most sought-after singer for the role of the Puccini heroine in European opera houses.
The role of the Chinese princess in Turandot is one of Lee’s major roles in opera along with Verdi’s Lady Macbeth and Puccini’s Tosca.
Lee earlier revealed in an interview the role is difficult because it involves not just difficult singing but it requires good acting as well.
She pointed out the Turandot role requires good Italian technique while it demands good acting to be able to portray the authoritarian yet dignified profile of the princess.
“In other words, vocal technique, charisma and elegance should all blend together to send a special message to audiences.”
She added: “Your singing voice should never be drowned out by the orchestra. She added the role of Turandot is complicated because the character requires performer to be elegant but also cold and alluring as a princess. “She also grew up in a very sheltered environment. I was trained very hard by various directors who taught me Turandot is more than just about technical virtuosity or brutal personality.”
Lee grew up in Korea and moved to Italy for further studies. A graduate of the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory and the Novara Conservatory, she won several competitions including the Iris Adami Corradetti Competition in 2009.
Very few know that she was a mezzo soprano when she studied at the Italian conservatories.
But a meeting with renowned bass Bonaldo Giaiotti (with whom she refined her operatic repertoires) has changed her vocal path. “I was originally trained as a mezzo soprano, but I turned into a soprano after completing vocal studies at conservatories,” Lee said. “This is almost impossible. But Bonaldo Giaiotti, who has specialized in the Italian repertoires of Puccini and Verdi at the Metropolitan Opera for many decades, told me I should be a spinto soprano after hearing my voice. Finally, he won and I became a soprano.”
Apart from Alessandro Liberatore as Calaf and Lilla Lee as Turandot, bass Jinsu Lee sings the role of Timur, the exiled Tartar king.
Soprano Rachelle Gerodias sings the role of Liu, Byeong In Park takes the part of Ping, Ivan Nery as Pong, the grand chancellor, Nomher Nival as Emperor Altoum, and baritone Greg de Leon as Mandarino.
Maestro Valentino Favoino will lead the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra along with distinguished choral ensembles namely the Viva Voce Voice Lab and the UST Singers.
Direction is by Vincenzo Grisostomi Travaglini with Prince Sisowath Ravivaddhana Monipong as assistant director. Giovanni Pirandello is lighting designer.
The Puccini opera will have a gala night at the CCP main theater Friday Dec. 9 and a gala matinee on December 11 at 3 p.m.
Ms. Nedy Tantoco, one of the producers representing Rustan’s Group of Companies, said she decided to tie up with the CCP in time for the celebration of the 70th year of the Philippine-Italian Association (PIA).
Among those who endorsed and supported the mounting of Turandot were Governor Chavit Singson of LCS Group of Companies, Dr. Jaime Laya of Filipinas Opera Society Foundation, Inc., Mr. Ramon Ang of San Miguel Corporation, Alice Eduardo of Sta. Elena Construction and Development Corporation, TG Limcaoco of Bank of the Philippine Islands, Kevin Tan of Hilton Manila, arts patron Danny Dolor and the Rustan Group of Companies.
CCP President Margie Moran Floirendo said producing Turandot became feasible with tie up with Rustan’s Group of Companies represented by Nedy Tantoco. Italian Ambassador Marco Clemente said the Italian Embassy was just too happy to support the project. He agreed the staging of Turandot is a timely and grand way of celebrating the 75th anniversary of Philippine-Italian diplomatic relations
Italian Director Maestro Vincenzo Grisostomi Traviglini who also directed Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor at the CCP in 2020 will arrive early November to direct Turandot.
(The two-day opera gala of Turandot is sponsored by LCS Group of Companies, San Miguel Corporation, Sta. Elena Construction and Development Corporation, BPI and Danny Dolor. Ticket prices are: orchestra center P6,000.00 P4,000.00; orchestra sides (right and left) at P5,000.00 P3,000.00; balcony I center P2,500.00 P1,500.00 and sides (right and left) P2,500.00 and P1,500.00. Contact Numbers and email addresses for inquiries: Lulu Casas 09175708301; lgcasas@rgoc.com.ph; Maricar Alamodin 09175384508; esalamodin@rgoc.com.ph; Rustan’s Makati – 8813-3739 Loc 280; Rustan’s Shangrila – 8633-4636 Loc 400; Rustan’s Alabang – 8850- 5592; Rustan’s Gateway – 8931-2460; CCP Box Office 8832-3704 and TicketWorld 8891-9999.)
