Gala Concert with Anna Netrebko
The Puccini Festival 2025 has a one-off event in its schedule like no other for the forthcoming season. This is a special gala concert that has been organised at the Gran Teatro all’Aperto Giacomo Puccini at which Anna Netrebko will receive the coveted Puccini Award. Netrebko, the world-famous soprano singer, will become the 56th Premio Puccini recipient. The gala concert is slated for 13 August 2025 and it will be a unique celebration of grand opera in which several extracts from well-known operas will be performed. As such, this wonderful evening of music has plenty to attract fans of Italian opera – and Giacomo Puccini, in particular – as well as the many devotees of Netrebko's singing style.
According to Netrebko, performing on this illustrious stage of the Gran Teatro all’Aperto is an honour that allows every artist who does so to connect meaningfully with Puccini's outstanding musical legacy. The Russian-Austrian opera star herself, said that the entire gala event constitutes a tribute to the timeless beauty of Italian opera. Indeed, she went on to remark that the concert's beauty would be made even more special by the unique magic of its setting. Performing in Torre del Lago, the one-time home of the great maestro where the venue is located, she will be accompanied by the Puccini Festival Orchestra conducted by Maestro Michelangelo Mazza. In addition, tenor parts will be sung by Martin Muehle, the renowned Brazilian-born performer who has delighted audiences and critics alike for his portrayals of some of the most-loved romantic heroes of the Italian operatic repertoire.
Netrebko, who began a stellar career in 1994, has performed in roles Puccini scored for opera around the world. These include performances as Turandot, Mimì, Manon Lescaut, Tosca and other Puccini characters. In all, the soprano has sung Puccini-scored roles within the context of dozens of different productions and this award recognises her contribution to the composer's ongoing popularity. Past winners of the prize include Maria Callas, Mirella Freni, Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Luciano Pavarotti and Angela Gheorghiu, among others. In fact, such is her recognition among audiences that she was the first classical music artist to be named on the annual list of the world's 100 most influential people by Time Magazine.
This Gala Concert with Anna Netrebko represents a unique opportunity to see her doing what she does best – singing soprano scores penned by Puccini – on a stage that is devoted to the great opera composer.