Homage to Puccini - Western Music Concert December 10, 2008

In collaboration with the Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai, Fondazione Festival Pucciniano, Italian Cultural Institute in New Delhi and Mehli Mehta Music Foundation. On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Giacomo Puccini, two young, talented Italian singers, Alice Quintavalla (soprano) and Fulvio Oberto (tenor), will sing well known arias from some of his most loved operas, such as `Tosca`, `La Rondine`, `La Bohème`, `Gianni Schicchi`, `Madama Butterfly`, and `Turandot`. They will be accompanied by Valerio Galli on the piano. Alice Quintavalla has won acclaim at a very young age both within Italy and abroad. In September 2007, she was praised for her part in `Mimi`, at the Festival Puccini di Torre del lago, conducted by Maestro Gasparini. Fulvio Oberto got his diploma from the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi in Turin, the start to a brilliant career, which led him to perform with maestros like Placido Domingo at La Scala Theatre in Milan, at Royal Albert Hall in London, in Germany and with the Soloists of Arena di Verona. For the Fondazione Festival Pucciniano, he performed in Brazil and Argentina in a tour dedicated to Maestro Puccini. He was among the singers who gave a tribute in honour of Maria Callas in Athens (among the ruins of the Parthenon). Both an excellent pianist and conductor, Valerio Galli gave his debut as conductor in 2004 with `Madama Butterfly` in Teatro Mancinelli in Orvieto (Italy). For the Fondazione Festival Pucciniano, he has performed both as pianist and conductor in Italy and worldwide ( New York, Tokyo, Paris, Shanghai), collaborating with maestros like Placido Domigo, Daniela Dessì, Svetla Vassileva, Juan Pons and Marcello Giordani.