I think that being able to celebrate Gianandrea Gavazzeni’s immense legacy, thirty years after his death, with this festival that came into being thanks to his pioneering vision is no mere coincidence. To be doing so this year, as I put my “signature” on the event for the first time as artistic director makes it all the more significant. Moreover, when I agreed to take over full direction of Donizetti Opera, my first thoughts went to Gavazzeni and to his powerful intiuition in putting Donizetti the composer and, thus, music at the centre of it all. Today, full of pride for this legacy and envigorated by the whole city’s devotion to its eminent citizen, we join the celebrations with which the world of music acknowleges his being one of the most important conductors of the 1900s century, a sophisticated composer and clear-headed academic. It fills me with joy to be conducting this gala concert dedicated to him, and to be able to count on such a superb array of singers. It will be a special concert, uniting celebration, memories and emotion, as we perform overtures, arias and duets from his favourite operas.

Concert on 19th November at Teatro Donizetti: www.donizettiopera.org/en/event/gala-gianandrea-gavazzeni/2026-11-19/

📷 Gianfranco Rota