Come join the illustrious Georges Prêtre in the heart of Venice, surrounded by the sumptuous decor of the Teatro La Fenice, for this rousing Concerto di Capodanno (New Year’s Concert) filmed on January 1, 2009. The Choir and Orchestra of La Fenice shine under the baton of the conductor—a favorite of Maria Callas!—in a program highlighting favorite melodies and arias from the most popular operas.
Instrumental repertoire, including standards such as Rossini’s William Tell Overture and Bizet's Farandole from L'Arlésienne, alternates with showcases for two enchanting voices: soprano Mariella Devia and tenor Massimiliano Pisapia navigate with apparent ease between more subtle bel canto touches and formidable Verdian power. As is traditional, the spectacle is capped by a crowd-pleasing, all-Verdi double header: "Va', pensiero" from Nabucco, and the perennially beloved brindisi (drinking song) from La Traviata!
La Fenice means "the phoenix," and these New Year's Concerts, now a yearly institution, began when the legendary theater reopened in 2004 following a 1996 arson that scorched the interior. This vibrant, life-affirming tribute to Italian opera is also a tribute to La Fenice's ability to rise from the ashes and bring the world's most beautiful music to opera fans everywhere.
