THE RETURN OF THE WORLD’S LEADING VERDI BARITONE
Italian born
PAOLO GAVANELLI
with SPECIAL GUEST
Internationally Renowned Irish Soprano
CARA O’SULLIVAN
and the
RTÉ CONCERT ORCHESTRA · conductor · Colman Pearce
City Hall, Cork - Saturday 26th April 2003@ 8.00 pm
Sponsored by Aer Rianta Cork
University Concert Hall, Limerick – Thursday 1st May@ 8.00 pm
Sponsored by Aer Rianta Shannon and other supporting groups
National Concert Hall, Dublin - Saturday 3rd May 2003 @ 8.00 pm
Sponsored by Henry Ford and Sons
For the Ford Centennial Opera Gala
Paolo Gavanelli is considered to be the No. 1 Verdi baritone in the world at present Following his remarkable performances in Cork and Dublin last year, Barra Ó Tuama Promotions has managed to orchestrate the return of this magnificent artist to Irish stages
this spring.Opening at the City Hall, Cork on Saturday 26th April, the tour goes on to the University Concert Hall, Limerick on Thursday 1st May, with the concluding performance taking place at the National Concert Hall, Dublin on Saturday 3rd May.Internationally celebrated as one of the world’s most acclaimed artists, Italian born Gavanelli gave phenomenal performances in Cork and Dublin last March, leaving the stage to standing ovations and thunderous roars of approval, while the critics saluted his “heart-stopping performance”, his “velvet voice” and his “long-breathed phrasing and razor-sharp intonation”.It is very fortunate that on this occasion he has time to include Limerick in his tour.
He is a regular guest at the most important opera theatres in the world, where he sings the leading roles of the major baritone repertoire.Fortunate audiences at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, Covent Garden, London, La Scala Milan, Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, Staatsoper Vienna and at the vast outdoor venue, the famous Arena di Verona, are all familiar with Gavanelli’s splendid voice.
As a singer, he has made his name as a lyric Verdi baritone and his performance in the title role of Falstaff at Covent Garden in January 2001 was a major triumph.The critics described him as ‘Outstanding among a generally excellent cast ... (was) Paolo Gavanelli as a slyly underplayed and beautifully sung Sir John.’ and ‘Gavanelli has made the part his own and seems to fit the role even better than Bryn Terfel...’
Another recent success is the title role in Rigoletto with the Royal Opera at Covent Garden in September 2001.Again, the critics were smitten by Gavanelli’s masterful performances and enthused:‘Gavanelli’s jester is the greatest Rigoletto London has seen in 30 years...’,‘Dominating the stage was the heart-rending Rigoletto of Paolo Gavanelli, who proved himself a worthy successor to legendary interpreters of the role such as Gobbi and Cappuccilli’. and‘This was a Rigoletto to be compared with the most telling interpreters...Tito Gobbi, Kostas Paskalis...Renato Bruson...thus recalling the great traditions of Verdi singing at Covent Garden’.
On his performance of Germont in La Traviata at Covent Garden last December, Michael Kennedy of the Sunday Telegraph wrote ‘Paolo Gavanelli.. . is such a consummate artist singing with extraordinary sensitivity of tone and phrasing.’
Paolo has invited the internationally renowned Irish soprano Cara O’Sullivan to join him as his special guest on the tour. Opera Gala audiences will remember the scintillating performances she gave at the permanent tsb “Celebratory Night of Music” last May.She has also excelled on the international stage and her voice has been described as a ‘stream of opulent tone’ and is a ‘fearless vocal artist whether singing Mozart, Donizetti,Verdi or Puccini’.
She has performed with many UK and European opera companies, and her US début as Queen of the Night with the Cincinnati Festival Opera was a huge success.Some of the comments in the US reviews included:‘Cara O’Sullivan dominated her scenes with a voice of steel and sparkle’ and ‘her voice practically reaches into the audience and pulls you from your seat!’.Cara initiates her recording career with a CD of popular arias and songs “Cara Diva”, accompanied by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra with conductor Proinnsías Ó Duinn, released with great success last November.
The RTÉ Concert Orchestra, with conductor Colman Pearce once again takes the stage in a Barra Ó Tuama Production, having collaborated so successfully with Gavanelli last March 2002.As well as accompanying the solo artists, this excellent orchestra will bring their own special sparkle to the programme with their exciting instrumental contributions.
2003 marks the hundredth anniversary of the company’s incorporation in the USA. This Ford Centennial Opera Gala featuring the extraordinary Paolo Gavanelli with his special guest, the unforgettable Cara O’Sullivan together with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra is a truly exciting prospect for opera lovers everywhere, and a major coup for producer and director Deirdre O’Tuama.
Tickets go on sale on 17th February, and will be available at the Central Box Office, Cork, (Booking fee of 2 euro will apply to telephone bookings) Tel.021 4543210, University Concert Hall, Limerick, Tel 061 331549 and at the National Concert Hall, Dublin, Tel. 01 4170000.
The Sunday Independent, The Irish Examiner, RTÉ, Choice Hotels Ireland and the Herbert Park Hotel support this event | 
