New Year's Concert 2004

Stefania Bonfadelli, soprano / Roberto Aronica, tenor / Greta Hodgkinson, soloist / Roberto Bolle, soloist
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro La Fenice / Conductor: Lorin Maazel

PIETRO MASCAGNI Cavalleria rusticana - Symphonic Interlude
GIOACHINO ROSSINI La gazza ladra – Sinfonia, Overture
AMILCARE PONCHIELLI La Gioconda - Danse of the Hours
GIUSEPPE VERDI Otello - Ballet Music La Traviata - Prelude to Act III Aida - Danse of the Little Moorish Slaves and Ballet
GIOACHINO ROSSINI Il Barbiere di Siviglia - Overture
GIUSEPPE VERDI Nabucco - “Va pensiero” La Traviata: “Libiamo, ne’ lieti calici” Il Balletto del Sud

When a fire destroyed the Gran Teatro La Fenice in 1996, the world knew that some day it would have to be reopened in its old splendour. When the legendary Phoenix finally rose from the Ashes again in 2003, its rebirth was celebrated with a series of concerts. One of the highlights was the 2004 New Year’s Concert. A firework display of famous opera choruses and arias, ballet scenes and orchestral music greeted the New Year from the new “Fenice”. Led by star conductor Lorin Maazel, a star-studded cast of singers and dancers made this gala concert an unforgettable night, that can now be enjoyed on DVD. Among the performers were Italian soprano Stefania Bonfadelli and Italian tenor Roberto Aronica who have recently risen to international fame on opera stages throughout the world. Adding to the glamour of the event were ballet stars Greta Hodgkinson and Roberto Bolle – two breathtakingly beautiful, amazingly flawless dancers.
The Gran Teatro della Fenice has always been a legend in the operatic world. It was here that five Verdi operas were introduced to the public: Ernani, Attila, the first version of Simon Boccanegra, Rigoletto and La Traviata, not to mention such Rossini operas as Tancredi and Semiramide, Vincenzo Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi and Ruggero Leoncavallo’s La Bohème. The Italian première of Wagner’s Rienzi also took place on this stage, as did the first performance in Italy of his Ring cycle. The second half of the 20th century also saw important premières, with Igor Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress (1951), Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw (1954), Serge Prokofiev’s Fiery Angel (1955), Luciano Berio’s Allez- Hop! (1959) und Luigi Nono’s Intolleranza (1960) and Prometeo (1984).
But there is something peculiar about the opera house. Fondly called “La Fenice” - evoking the myth of the Phoenix bird that periodically burns itself in order to rise again as a symbol of eternal renewal - the Venetian theatre has burned to the ground twice since it opened in 1792. Following the first fire, during the night of 12/13 December 1836 it was rebuilt according to the original plans by Tommaso and Giambattista Meduna on a new site, the Campo San Fantin, where it has now been rebuilt following the second fire on the night of 29/ 30 January 1996, which reduced the theatre to its bare foundations. On 14 December 2003 the Gran Teatro La Fenice reopened with a gala concert conducted by Riccardo Muti. Seven further concerts followed, featuring illustrious names ranging from Christian Thielemann and Mariss Jansons to Elton John. The series concluded with the New Year’s Day concert under Lorin Maazel with excerpts from operas by Verdi, Rossini and Ponchielli, broadcast live on television by RAI Uno.
After that, the Fenice closed again for almost another year. The final reopening followed in November 2004 with Verdi’s La Traviata, the opera that had its world première here in 1853. On this recording, DVD viewers can already enjoy the renewed splendour of the legendary opera house.

Price: $35.98