Previews: Opera Concert 'Tribute to Maria Callas' Coming to Ciputra on October 7

Jakarta, September 20, 2023. To celebrate 100 years of Maria Callas, one of the world’s most renowned soprano singers of the 20th century, the Embassy of Italy, the Italian Cultural Institute Jakarta, and Ciputra Artpreneur proudly present a grand opera concert titled "Tribute to Maria Callas," featuring opera singers from Italy and Indonesia, along with the Jakarta Concert Orchestra and Batavia Madrigal Singers. This opera concert will be held on October 7, 2023. Performance I will take place at 2:00 PM and Performance II at 7:00 PM WIB at the Ciputra Artpreneur Theater.

Maria Battaglia, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute Jakarta, said, "Maria Callas not only represents opera in Italy but also worldwide. Callas graced prestigious international theater stages from Milan to New York to London, becoming a true icon and legend of opera music. Her singing ability and interpretation were so extraordinary that they were unrivaled by any other soprano singer. The Tribute to Maria Callas concert aims to celebrate the centenary of Callas's birth in 1923. For the first time in Indonesia, homage is paid to the Divina, as she was affectionately known, by her director and friend, Franco Zeffirelli."

The musical setlist is highly diverse, featuring arias from Callas's most famous operas such as Norma, La Traviata, Turandot, and Cavalleria Rusticana. For us, this is a significant event to strengthen the collaboration between Italy and Indonesia. We extend our gratitude to the Indonesian and Italian singers and musicians who will work side by side in the coming weeks for this event. Through this concert, we aim to present Bel Canto, which is part of the Italian tradition, to Jakarta, so that the Indonesian community can witness the skills of the musicians and choir and see how they interpret it, most importantly, to remember the great character of the century, Maria Callas.”

Rina Ciputra Sastrawinata, President Director of Ciputra Artpreneur, expressed that the effort to bring Italy and Indonesia closer together has been forged through intensive cooperation with the Italian Cultural Center, where previous performances included Traviata Artemis Danza (2015), I Bislacchi, A Tribute to Fellini (2016), and Pavarotti Forever Tribute Concert (2017). Not only that, the desire to engage in artistic and cultural exchange also materialized in the form of an art exhibition titled Beyond The East: A Gaze on Indonesian Contemporary Art (2011). This exhibition was held at MACRO Testaccio, Rome, Italy, in collaboration with international art critic and curator, Prof. Achille Bonito Oliva, and curator Dominique Lora. Thanks to her initiative, Ms. Rina received the Ordine della Stella d’Italia Classe Cavaliere award from the Italian government. "We are extremely proud, because in the performance on October 7, 2023, top artists from Italy will collaborate with top artists from Indonesia, namely Avip Priatna and Regina Handoko, involving the Batavia Madrigal Singers choir and Jakarta Concert Orchestra. In our view, this is a show that should not be missed. Also, for the artists, this is an excellent platform for exchanging experiences," Ms. Rina emphasized.

Regina Handoko, soprano singer, stated that performing songs by Maria Callas is both a privilege and a challenge for any opera singer, including herself. Regina herself said, "Maria Callas had a vocal technique, emotional depth, and interpretative ability that were truly extraordinary. So, to perform her songs, a perfect combination of vocal technique, expression, and deep understanding of the character being sung is needed. It is an extraordinary journey and a great honor for me to perform songs from the greatest soprano of all time. What's more, this collaboration also presents technical challenges. We practiced for a very short time, only 5 days for the conductor, orchestra players, and choir, and only 3 days for the soloists. This concert program is very exciting because it is a world-class collaboration, involving musicians from Italy and Indonesia. Conductors and singers from Italy are specially present in Indonesia, precisely at Ciputra Artpreneur Jakarta, to deliver an internationally acclaimed opera performance. Undoubtedly, the audience will have an unforgettable experience."

This grand concert dedicated to a diva will take us on a captivating journey with selected opera works beloved by Callas, composed by Rossini, Bellini, Verdi, Puccini, and Mascagni. The presence of soprano singers from Italy and Indonesia, Felicia Bongiovanni and Regina Handoko, as well as Darioo Ricchizzi, a tenor singer from Italy, will also enliven the orchestra led by Maestro Massimiliano Sinceri and Choir Director Maestro Avip Priatna.

For the first time, Italian and Indonesian opera singers, along with 65 musicians from the Jakarta Concert Orchestra and 60 singers from the Batavia Madrigal Singers, as well as the Choir Director, come together to present an extraordinary musical fusion.

Tickets are available in 5 categories, starting from Bronze (Rp. 300,000,-), Silver (Rp. 475,000,-), Gold (Rp. 750,000,-), Platinum (Rp. 1,100,000,-), and VIP (Rp. 1,475,000,-). There is a special price with a 20% discount during the Early Bird period from September 20 to September 24, 2023. Tickets are available through loket.com.
 

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