Concert Dedicated to Italian Opera Singing
Saturday, 8 August 2026 – 9:30 PM
The Arena di Verona Foundation brings to Campo di Brenzone the magic of the Arena with a concert dedicated to Italian opera singing, recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
A special evening celebrating the great Italian operatic tradition through some of the most beloved arias of all time.
The protagonists of the performance are Eleonora Bellocci (soprano), Martina Gresia (soprano), Chiara Tirotta (mezzo‑soprano), Paolo Lardizzone (tenor) and Gezim Myshketa (baritone), who will give voice to masterpieces by the great composers of opera.
They will be accompanied on piano by Cecilia Gasdia, in a program that will guide the audience through an emotional journey of passion, virtuosity and beauty.
An unmissable event for music lovers and for anyone wishing to be captivated by the expressive power of opera singing, in a unique setting overlooking Lake Garda.
Cecilia Gasdia
Superintendent of the Arena di Verona Foundation
After studying singing and piano, she began her career by winning the RAI “Maria Callas” International Competition in 1980, debuting as Luisa Miller by Verdi. Her international breakthrough came in 1982, when she replaced Montserrat Caballé at La Scala in Donizetti’s Anna Bolena.
In 1983 she debuted as Liù in Puccini’s Turandot at the Arena di Verona, where she had previously worked as an extra and chorus artist. In 1984 she was chosen by Kleiber and Zeffirelli as the protagonist of La Traviata in Florence and took part in the first performance of Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims conducted by Abbado.
She has interpreted more than 90 roles, collaborating with artists such as Muti, Chailly, Prêtre, Gelmetti, Scimone, Russell, Pizzi, Ramey, Kraus, Pavarotti, Domingo and Bocelli, dedicating herself particularly to roles written by Rossini for Isabella Colbran.
She has performed over 2000 recitals, often with I Solisti Veneti, and has collaborated with pop artists, appearing as guest and juror in various national TV programs.
From 2018 she has been Superintendent of the Arena di Verona Foundation, the first woman to hold this role.
