Jacques Imbrailo to sing at gala for soprano's dying husband

Stefano Guidi, Anna Leese and Jacques Imbrailo

South African barihunk Jacques Imbrailo will perform at a gala for Stefano Guidi, the partner of New Zealand soprano Anna Leese. Guidi was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, an aggressive form of motor neurone disease, and given two years to live. He found out about his diagnoisis last April, just days after the birth of their son Matteo.

The 42-year-old Guidi is an Italian wine-maker recently moved to New Zealand to create a new life and build a family with Anna Leese.

Spanish tenor José Carreras and English baritone Sir Thomas Allen are leading the appeal to raise funds for the family, which aims to raise £25,000.

Bass Sion Goronwy, baritones Phillip Rhodes and Philip Smith will also perform, along with Sophie Bevan, Sarah Castle, Alisdair Hogarth, Madeleine Pierard, David Butt Philip and Wendy Dawn Thompson.

You can buy tickets or make a donation online.

Imbrailo will be singing Horatio in Brett Dean's new version of Hamlet this summer at Glyndebourne. from June 11-July 6 with Allan Clayton as Hamlet and barihunk Rod Gilfry as Claudius. Tickets are available online.