- About...
Maestro Giuseppe Raffa is an Italian born conductor and composer of rare refinement and elegance in style. A passionate and talented orchestra conductor, and energetic artistic producer, he has been defined by his colleagues as “the revolutionary innovator of stage concept. An expert on lyrical voice, who can today be considered as one of the greatest experts on Italian bel canto technique. He has studied at Music conservatory of Milan “Giuseppe Verdi”; and specifically composition studies under Bruno Bettinelli and orchestra conducting with Mario Gusella. He then undertook specialization studies at the “Accademia Chigiana” with Franco Ferrara and in Paris with renowned French conductor George Pretre. The maestro has produced and conducted over 3,000 events in his career. As soon as he finished his studies at the conservatory, he was sent to conduct Donizetti’s Figlia del Reggimento in Poland in the late seventies during the Iron Curtain of the communist countries and remained conducting in those countries for a few years, gaining important experience conducting over 30 opera titles.
Maestro Raffa in his life has conducted more the 3,000 performances bewteen opera performances and concerts.Throughout his career he also conducted many prestigious orchestras such as: the Orchestra of the Teatro Massimo of Palermo; the Orchestra of the Teatro V. Bellini of Catania; the Orchestra Sinfonica of Bari; the Orchestra of the Prague Opera Theatre, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Prague; the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London, the Orchestre Metropoiltaine de Montreal; the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra; the Bucharest Opera Orchestra; the Sydney Symphony Orchestra; the Melbourne; Tokyo NHK Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra; South Africa State Theatre Orchestra of Pretoria; Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra; Philharmonic of Sofia; Bucharest Philharmonic; Toronto Opera Orchestra; Honk Kong Symphony Orchestra; Hungarian State Opera Orchestra; Cape Town New Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony, Toronto Philharmonic, Budapest Philharmonic and many more. Apart from his traditional career, Maestro Raffa has been a procurer of major operatic events in large arenas and stadiums all over the world, including a co-production with the Arena di Verona with the opera Madama Butterfly.
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My Artists
Over fourthy years of live performances of Giuseppe Raffa have seen the participation of the greatest opera singers of the world and indeed, of the whole history. Among others, Piero Cappuccilli, Nicola Martinucci, Roberto Scandiuzzi, Michelle Crider Ferruccio Furlanetto, Katia Ricciarelli, Ruza Baldani, Grace Bumbry, Ghena Dimitrova, Leona Mitchell, Maria Chiara, Wilhelmenia Fernandez, Elena Obrazova, Bruna Baglioni, Daniela Dessì, Juan Pons, Deborah Voight, Renato Bruson, Paata Burchuladze, Bruno Sebastian, Luigi Roni, Dennis O’ Neill, Giuseppe Giacomini, Mario Malagnini, Igvar Wixell, Nicola Ghiuselev, and Matteo Manoguerra.
Madame Butterfly, produced in co-production with the “Arena di Verona “for an impressive amount of 19 performances with some 200,000 spectators. The further developed and impressive virtual scenery concept is the true protagonist of this grand and majestic, yet incredibly intimate opera production. There is no physical element present on stage of over 300 meters diameter. Every scene, ambient and atmosphere is created virtually, giving prospective and sense of depth, and producing true emotions, on an otherwise flat and bear surface.
The Madame Butterfly production was then staged again in other important cities and capitals of the world, achieving a remarkable success with both audience and critics
‘Aida’ pondrá en escena a 1.000 personas
Figurinistas, informáticos, arquitectos, escenógrafos, coreógrafos, directores de coro, cantantes, bailarines, cientos de extras, técnicos y todo un complejo de más de 1.500 personas, del que emanan no sólo aromas artísticos, sino también industriales se mueve al ritmo de la batuta el maestro Giuseppe Raffa, quien hace ocho años creó una nueva fórmula para acercar la ópera al gran público. Ahora trae a España Aida, The Opera Spectacular, que se estrenará en la Plaza de Toros de las Ventas el próximo día 26.
The performances in South Africa’s Pretoria Football Stadium enjoyed the patronage of new President elected Nelson Mandela and the sponsorship of Ned Bank. It was one of the greatest Aida productions by Giuseppe Raffa, and indeed the greatest event that had ever taken place in the country, with an audience of 80,000 people and an extraordinary performance of Soprano Wilhelmenia Fernandez in the title role. A truly historical event.
Larger than life – AIDA in Honk Kong; Aida öives up to its reputation; Putting "Grand" back into Opera.
Accounts on larger than life, operatic Director Giuseppe Raffa exploded into energy as he spoke about his mammoth production stage in Hong Kong. The Aida by Giuseppe Raffa for Operama….
Nabucco was a very singular and innovative production, with a central four-angled pyramid shaped stage, placed in the centre of the arena, and facing the audience at 360°. There was no backstage and performers walked in and out of the structure through purposely placed doors and hatches. It was also a visual production, with projections and other visual effects flooding from above and all around the stage, creating moving and exciting virtual environments and atmospheres.
So it was that, after far too many gin and tonics, I made my way to the Swiss arena that would house Giuseppe Raffa’s new staging of Verdi’s Egyptian fantasy. Armed with a backstage pass, I could investigate the workings of what was to prove to be a simply collossal production. And, as I was shown through a labyrinth of corridors, elbowing my way past dozens of little Cleopatras scurrying about and speaking in strange tongues, I felt just like a time-traveller who had accidentally landed on planet Ancient Egypt.
Lavish performance of “Aida” on a huge stage at Tokyo Dome
Opera “Aida” at Tokyo Dome
An impressive performance of the opera “Aida” was given at Tokyo Dome before an audience of 30,000.
It was opera with the double casting of Katia Ricciarelli and Grace Bumbry…..
TORONTO – More over base fans. Make room for the elephants and the camels, a cast of 1,200 singers and an orchestra of 100 plus.
Opera is coming to the new Sky Dome, home of the Toronto Blue Jays, on a grand, grand scale – at least in terms of size and numbers.
Verdi’s Aida, created for the 1871 opening of the Suez Canal and first performed in the Cairo Opera House, will play the Sky Dome Oct 26 and 28 possibly before the largest audience in its North American tour.
Raffa said at a SkyDome news conference Monday the theme of Opera for the people – which is the way it began – is the driving force behind the International Opera Festival operations of Carmen and Turandot. “ Opera was never meant to be a form of severe spiritual torture “he said nothing that 71,000 spectators who attended the two Aida performances at Olympic Stadium in Montreal in June 1988, about 85 per cent were attending opera for the first time.
The stadium seats about 48,000 at baseball games and a couple more part of the vast seating space will be curtained off to improve the acoustic. Tickets prices will range from $35 to $125 with a limited number of seats at $150.
All’Arena di Verona inedito allestimento dell’opera di Puccini produzione Operama di Giuseppe Raffa
Laser e microfoni, soprende la Butterfly-rocK
Verona – La tecnologia conquista la lirica. E la trasforma almeno nell’allestimento, in un concerto Rock.
Ieri ha debuttato all’Arena di Verona una Madama Butterfly di Puccini in versione moderna (repliche il 4, 7, 13, 21, 25, 28 agosto) che sorpreso e convinto, almeno alla fine del primo atto, il pubblico. In platea c’erano anche Vecchioni e Bocelli.
Tre gli elementi innovativi proposti sulla scena: luci ed effetti laser, immagini proiettate sulle gradinate e suono amplificato.
L’associazione nasce dall’utilizzo di tre elementi simili a quelli dei concerti rock, ma si tratta di elementi neutri. Sul golfo mistico e sul palcoscenico sono state posizionate casse acustiche e ogni cantante porta addosso due microfoni. I tradizionalisti storcono il naso per l’amplificazione – a bilanciare la potenza evocativa delle immagini proiettate. E il pubblico, infatti, è colpito da un enorme telo grigio di 47 metri per 28 che copre le gradinate del palco. Li vendono proiettate le immagini in movimento che fungono da scenografia. Nei grandi spazi lo spettatore fatica a seguire dinamica teatrale. In questo modo cerchiamo di coinvolgere a fondo. Favorevole anche il direttore d’orchestra- L’utilizzo della tecnologia è assolutamente onesto: non altera i suoni ma migliora l’ascolto.
Olympic stadium Montreal
Crowd Of 30,000 Watch Verdi’s Spectacular Opera In Baseball Stadium MONTREAL – Thirty thousand fans paid up to $125 each to watch the most grandiose operatic production in Canadian history, complete with elephants, tigers and a 14-foot python. It was Verdi’s spectacular ″Aida,″ in a production first staged last year next to the Sphinx at Giza, Egypt, where the opera is set. Tenor Nicola Martinucci won an ovation for his ringing Radames, but a echo in Olympic Stadium affected the delicate soprano of Katia Ricciarelli as Aida. A giant 46-foot Sphinx was the centerpiece on stage Thursday night, constructed in the middle of the domed stadium’s baseball field, normally the home of the Montreal Expos. Operama – International Opera Festival impresario and maestro, Giuseppe Raffa conducted a 120-piece orchestra and 140-member chorus. The production will travel to Sydney, Australia, in December, Tokyo in March and Vancouver in May.
But this was not the only time when Karajan’s name was associated to that of Giuseppe Raffa. In 1990, after a successful tour of Aida in the Pacific Area, following a series of important meetings in Beijing, supported by an entourage of international sponsors, Raffa convinced the Chinese Government to hold a Turandot production inside the Forbidden City. A press conference was held to announce this extraordinary event to be produced and directed by Giuseppe Raffa, generating world resonance. Many, among which the great Karajan, had attempted to realize this project of great relevance and magnitude but the Chinese Government had never been heeded to give its permission. In recognition of this achievement, the German conductor sent a warm telegram of congratulations to Giuseppe Raffa.
The last opera production conceived by Giuseppe Raffa is Verdi’s Rigoletto. Another step further opening towards the future, with the introduction of more advanced audio-visual technologies for the virtualization of scenery, reached a new sense of depth, perspective and interactivity between stage reality and virtual – a technology that can now be used in traditional theatres. Rigoletto’s production thus started a tour of Italian opera theatres that will then extend to other European theatres of tradition.
Sydney’s Aida, the ultimate in pyramid selling
At the last press conference before tonight’s performance, the ebullient Italian Maestro and Giuseppe Raffa, artistic director and producer of International Opera Festival, is keen to point out that while his Aida is, as he calls it, “a spectacle”, it is also in keeping with Verdi’s original score….
what a great cast!
Nabucco at Olympyhalle Munich
You can’t imagine what a great privilege it is to be able to conduct a cast of this calibre, it doesn’t happen every day to a conductor.
Renato Bruson
Ghena Dimitrova
Bruna Baglioni
Paata Burchuladze
Wie einst Karajan “Nabucco“ unter Giuseppe Raffa in der Olympiahalle
Bunte Bilderwelt: „Nabucco“ Szene in der Münchner Olympiahalle
Seid nett zu Maestro Raffa! Er meint es gut, betrachtet die Oper Gesamtkunstwerk („Operama“ nennt er’s) und führt wie einst Karajan den Taktstock und Regie. Und weil er einigen Geschmack hat (mit ein paar Ausreißern) ist „sein“ Nabucco (heute noch einmal in der Olympiahalle) durchaus ansehnlich bis sehenswert. Und über weite Strecken auch gut anzuhören. „Sein“ Nabucco? Verdis Name ist um zwei Schriftgrade kleiner gedruckt als Giuseppe Raffa. Nun ja, Verdi ist tot und hat schon einen großen Namen. Raffa will mit seiner Truppe die nächsten fünf Jahre um die Welt ziehen, die großen Arenen erobern.
Die Zuschauer sitzen rund um die Bühne, bestaunen von allen Seiten die großen Aufmärsche, ein Pferd und die bunte Bilderwelt samt den pyromanischen Neigungen des Regisseurs. Zum Schluß wissen sie, daß die babylonische Gefangenschaft so schlimm nicht gewesen sein kann: Es war eher ein offener Strafvollzug.
In Mittelpunkt steckt unter einer großen flachen Pyramide das Orchester, aus dem ein paar Violinbögen herausragen – und der weißgekleidete Maestro. Jeder Sänger soll ihn sofort sehen – und das Publikum auch.
Das Orchester klingt manchmal berauschend voll dann wieder kammermusikalisch elegant, leider aber auch zuweilen total verfremdet: Die Begleitung zum Gefangenenchor hört sich in den ersten Takten an wie von einer Ziehharmonika gespielt.
Und die Sänger? Mikrophone helfen, wie man weiß, nicht nur schwachen Stimmen. Sie decken auch kleinste Unsicherheiten gnadenlos auf und machen alle stimmtechnischen Finessen transparent.
In Raffas Produktion hören wir viele erstklassige Sänger – und selbst die Zweitbesetzungen sind noch überdurchschnittlich gut. Ob man die Lautsprecher nicht doch um ein paar Dezibel zurücknehmen sollte?
Butterfly”, scenografie virtuali ma applausi veri.
Pienone in Arena per l’opera pucciniana che a novembre andrà a Londra
Una “Madama Butterfly“ tecnologica e poetica, che proietta il settantasettesimo Festival areniano. Sono le caratteristiche dell’ultima opera in cartellone, che ha debuttato ieri davanti ad un pubblico numeroso, circa 12,000 gli spettatori per un incasso di tutto rispetto.
Nella parte dei protagonisti Daniela Dessi (Cio-Cio-San) Salvatore Licitra (Pinkerton ) e Roberto Servile (Sharpless).
Il nuovo atteso allestimento del capolavoro pucciniano ha attirato l’attenzione del pubblico e della critica nazionale per l’impegno delle nuove tecnologie visive di Operama del Maestro Giuseppe Raffa.
Tali apparecchiature proiettano sulle gradinate coperte da un enorme lenzuolo bianco, immagini virtuali della sfortunata Cio-Cio-Sun, riducendo drasticamente l’uso delle scenografie tradizionali.
Il palcoscenico infatti risulta vuoto, animato solo dalle proiezioni nelle quali agiscono i protagonisti vocali, totalmente immersi nella trama dell’opera.
Ciò implica un azzeramento dei cambi di scena (infatti c’è un solo intervallo, alla fine del primo atto) e un risparmio nelle spese per gli allestimenti scenici.
L’uso di tali apparecchiature, che impiegano anche sorgenti sonore intorno al golfo mistico e al palcoscenico per realizzare uniformità di suono, in ogni angolo dell’anfiteatro apre un nuovo corso nella realizzazione degli spettacoli areniani. Un nuovo corso anche dal punto di vista delle sinergie produttive, dato che questa realizzazione è stata resa possibile grazie all’unione concreta di Verona Fiere e la trasferta che questa produzione compirà a Londra, alla Wembley Arena.
Lofty rendition of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly Spectacular lighting creates striking visual imagery
Aida Minolta Loftus in Pretoria
Maestro Raffa’s hi-tech Aida fulfils Verdi’s populist vision.
Over 80,000 spectators, for an African Aida, with the presence of President Elson Mandela
“In the hands of Maestro Giuseppe Raffa, Aida is just that: a glory to watch, a marvel to remember that is staged around the world in sports stadiums, those most populist of contemporary venues. Raffa, whose personal epigram is that he “conducts and creates operatic spectacles for the people”, has fulfilled Verdi’s wish.
