Organized by the Culture and Tourism Ministry State Opera and Ballet General Directorate, the Opera International Festival of Istanbul celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and continue until July 14 at the Istanbul Zorlu Performing Arts Center (PSM).
Elegant Umut Kosman as the Mandarin
Opening the Festival, the Ankara State Opera and Ballet presented “Turandot”, the last opera of Giacomo Puccini on July 2 and 3.
Lilla Lee (Turandot) recognises her defeat in front of her father, the Emperor Altoum ( Cem Akyùz)
Staged by famous Italian guest director Vincenzo Grisostomi Travaglini, the leading role in “Turandot” opera was performed by Korean soloist Lilla Lee on July 2 and Kazakh soloist Zhupar Gabdullina on July 3.
Efe Kislali & Lilla Lee
The Prömiyer was a great success and the Korean Turandot Lilla Lee was very much appreciated by the audience, as well as the delicate sensituìivity of yourg Conductor, Maestro Murat Cem Orhan.
Wonderful Ping (çetin Kiranbay), Pang (Emre Akkus) and Pong (Arda Dogan)
Needless to say that Tenor Efe Kislali as Calaf was requested to sing once again the famous aria “Nessun Dorma” and was triumphally celebrated, as well as Tugba Mankal Dekak and Seda Araci Ayazli (Liù), together with Şafak Güç and Ozgür Savaş Gençtürk, fantastic Timur !
Liù’s Death
As reported by the cultural autorities of Kazakhstan, “Vocal skills, beauty, and power of voice, bright acting talent of sought-after opera singer Zhupar Gabdullina are widely known to the audience in many countries. Most recently, the Principal Soloist performed with great success in Turkey at the opening of the anniversary 10th International Istanbul Festival of Opera and Ballet, where she presented the title role of Turandot in Giacomo Puccini’s eponymous opera. There was not a single empty seat in the concert hall Zorlu PSM Studio, designed for 2500 viewers. Turkish viewers gave a standing ovation to the Kazakh artist.”
James Lee and Lilla Lee
The Korean tenor, James Lee was also highly appreciated by the Zorlu audience and the clamourous success of Turandot was celebrated until late that night by all artists of the Ankara State Opera and Ballet and their guests.
To be noted the wonderful lights of Fuat Gök and the exceptional participation of the Ankara National Ballet.
Vincenzo Grisostomi Travaglini, born in Ripatransone, lived first in Fermo (Marche), the town of origin of his family, and then in Rome where he obtained the School-leaving Certificate (Science) and proceeded studying Law and Psychology at La Sapienza University of Rome and piano as a hobby.
The journalist
As a young journalist in the mid 1970s, he began his career with Vatican Radio and Radio Lugano (Italian Switzerland). Between 1977 and 1993, he directed very popular broadcasts for the three main radio channels of RAI. Meanwhile, he started writing for local newspapers and magazines and has been a frequent contributor to “Il Mattino” ,“Il Corriere della Sera” and also for the weekly magazine, “Gente” as well as for numerous specialized music publications. He also wrote specialist articles not only in Italy but also in Spain, England, France, Austria, Germany, the Soviet Union, Switzerland, Tunisia, Egypt, Iraq, Canada, Greece, China, Japan, and Turkey. He is a member of the Italian Musical Critics Association and the Journalists’ Association . He has written texts for the covers of records and for theatre programmes (San Carlo Theatre of Naples, Ente Arena of Verona, Festival of Asolo, Monte-Carlo Opera House, etc.). In the 1980s, he extended his experience becoming Press Office Head for important festivals, such as Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Sagra Musicale Umbra, Festival delle Nazioni di Città di Castello, Festival Pucciniano di Torre del Lago and the Sagra Malatestiana of Rimini. In 1989 he was appointed head of the press office of the Teatro dell’Opera of Rome where he also established and managed the Publications Office and had several cultural publications printed. He remained a member of the Art Direction Team until 1997.
The Art Adviser and Art Director
In 1987 he returned to his hometown as Art Adviser at the Festival di Fermo where he promoted cooperation with the principal events in Italy and abroad until 1991. He planned the “first performances in modern times” of musicians of 1700-1800, including Cimarosa, Rossini, Donizetti and Cherubini (“première”) and commissioned works by the most famous modern composers, launching the event at an international level. In 1993-1994, he was appointed to the Teatro dell’Opera as assistant to the Art Director, Maestro Gian Carlo Menotti, and put in charge of some sectors of the “Il Teatro dell’Opera per la Città” project. For the Opera of Roma he was in charge of the art direction for the theatre’s tournée in Nagoya, Japan. In 1994 by Government Decree, he was appointed as a new member of the first Board of Experts at the Dipartimento dello Spettacolo della Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri for the three-year period from 1994 to 1996. From 1994 to July of 1996 he was Art Adviser to the restored Teatro Ventidio Basso in Ascoli Piceno which re-opened after fifteen years of work on October 15, 1994. There he organized seasons of opera, ballet, symphony performances, and chamber music concerts. In 1995 and 1996 he was Art Secretary of the Festival delle Nazioni in Città di Castello.
The International Artistic Consultant
During the 1997-1998 season, he was also appointed as Artistic Consultant of Production of “Aida,” directed and staged by Franco Zeffirelli, and performed in Japan on the occasion of the inauguration of the New National Theatre of Tokyo. In 2000 Grisostomi Travaglini was appointed by the Ministry of Culture of the Turkish Republic as general manager of the Ankara State Opera and Ballet, concurrently working as Musical Director up to the year 2002. In 2002 he was asked once again to go to Tokyo as director at the New National Theatre for a new production of “Lucia di Lammermoor”. The premiere on October 11 was attended by Their Imperial Majesties, the Emperor and Empress of Japan. In 2004 Tokyo’s “LaVoce inc” invited him to the New National Theatre to direct a new production of “Lucia di Lammermoor”. The performance was staged at the New National Theatre and recorded on DVD. Cast: Mariella Devia, Marcelo Álvarez, Renato Bruson, Carlo Colombara. Conductor Stefano Ranzani. The DVD was released commercially in 2005.
The Opera Producer
Since 1982, Vincenzo Grisostomi Travaglini has been called in Italy and many countries worldwide to stage popular opera titles in prestigious locations (Aida, Turandot, Rigoletto, Madame Butterfly, Lucia de Lammermoor, etc…), which are either wide spaces in the open or classical theatre scenes. He has taken advantage of his numerous travels to write articles in various publications, newspapers and magazines as well as holding conferences and seminar communications on special requests all over the world.
The Writer
He wrote a book on the life of Katia Ricciarelli which was published on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of her career. He also authored the book “I Teatri a Roma: Il Costanzi.” He wrote a musical study on Verdi’s opera “Macbeth” which was translated into French and published by Monte-Carlo Opera. His musicological book on “Madama Butterfly” was translated into Spanish for the Puccini Festival in Valencia and was presented to the audience during a conference in Spain. His two other musicological books: “Aida” and “Turandot” were translated into Turkish and published by the Ankara State Opera and Ballet.
Sisowath Ravivaddhana Monipong 