Gaulitana: A Festival of Music said that it has made sure that for its forthcoming production of Verdi’s Otello, the cast will include “one of the world’s most renowned” tenors in the role, namely the Lithuanian Kristian Benedikt.

Gaulitana said that the latter has built a reputation as one of the leading international singers of Verdi’s Otello, having sang this most demanding role more than 120 times.

He has appeared at most of the world’s greatest operatic stages, from New York’s Metropolitan to London’s Royal Opera Covent Garden and to Vienna’s Staatsoper.

For a decade Benedikt worked with famous Italian tenor Gianfranco Cecchele, paying special attention to the Italian opera and taking over the vocal tradition of Mario del Monaco – arguably, the last real Otello.

While Benedikt said that he considers the role as his “cavallo di battaglia,” one which fits naturally his vocality and personality, this has also been acclaimed by the international critics.

For the Gaulitana’s Otello, Benedikt will be leading a cast made up of top international and Maltese singers, together with the Gaulitanus Choir.

The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra (leader: Marcelline Agius) will be in attendance under the baton of Gaulitana artistic director, Colin Attard. Enrico Castiglione will be the stage director.

The opera, scheduled on Saturday, the 25th of April, will be the highlight of the 14th edition of Gaulitana: A Festival of Music – a month-long musical bonanza running between March 28th and April 26th and presenting daily events in several genres in various venues around Gozo.

The operatic production itself is part of an intensive Opera+ Weekend which will conclude the festival.

The festival is supported by the Gozo Cultural Support Programme of Arts Council Malta and the Ministry for Gozo.

The Gaulitana Otello forms part of an artistic collaboration with the Teatru Manoel which will also see the production of Shakespeare’s drama later on in the year and Rossini’s homonymous operatic version in March, both at the Manoel.

The Gaulitana Verdi production is being held at the Aurora Theatre in Gozo. Booking is open online on www.tearuaurora.com or through the theatre’s box office (+356 79045779).

In view of the Gaulitana-Manoel collaboration, a limited number of rebated tickets for both operatic productions can also be obtained from either theatre until the 16th of February.

Photograph: Gaulitana

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