Reader Submission: Riccardo Fioratti

Riccardo Fioratti (Photo on right by Roberto Recanatesi)

Our latest Reader Submission is Italian barihunk Riccardo Fioratti, who was born in the province of Rovigo. He just wrapped up a run as Giorgio in Rossini's La gazza ladra at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro in an all-star cast that included fellow barihunk Alex Esposito, Simone Alberghini, René Barbera, Nino Machaidze and Marko Mimica.

Fioratti studied organ and opera at the Conservatorio di Musica “Francesco Venezze” in Rovigo and Conservatorio "G. Frescobaldi" in Ferrara. He continued his studies with the great Rossini tenor William Matteuzzi and attended the L.T.L. Opera Studio in Pisa, where he performed the Narrator in Kurt Weill's The Threepenny Opera under the direction of Nathalie Marin. He also studied at the Rossini Academy under the artistic direction of Alberto Zedda, performing in the composer's comedy Il Viaggio a Reims.

Shizuka Salvemini and Riccardo Fioratti perform Shostakovich's Suite Michelangelo, op. 145:

Additional roles have included Tagliaferro in Piccinni's La Cecchina at the Malatestian Music Festival in Rimini,  Shostakovich's Michelangelo's Sonnets in a production by the theater group City of Ebla, Don Magnifico in Rossini's La Cenerentola at Tenerife Opera and the protagonist Brundibar by Hans Krasa with the Sucre National Theater in Quito.

Barihunks here, barihunks there, barihunks everywhere at Rossini Festival

Davide Luciano

For yet another season, it would be virtually impossible to avoid seeing a barihunk on stage at this year's Rossini Festival in Pesaro, which runs from August 10-22.

On opening day you can catch the world's greatest Leporello, Alex Esposito, in Rossini's La gazza ladra, which is best remembered for it's lively overture these days.  The next night, you can catch the charming young barihunk Andrea Vincenzo Bonsignore in the rarely performed La gazzetta. The following night, Davide Luciano, who lit up our pages with some shirtless pictures, performs in another of Rossini's rarities, L’inganno felice.

Andrea Vincenzo Bonsignore

 On August 14 and 17, the students from Alberto Zedda's Accademia Rossiniana will perform in Il viaggio a Reims, providing attendees to see the next great generation of Rossini singers. 

On August 15 and 18, Mirco Palazzi joins hunkentenor Juan Diego Florez in the composer's Messa di Gloria.

Alex Esposito show off why he's not just popular for his singing

The singers have become popular fan favorites over the last few seasons and all of the barihunks are returning from previous seasons, including Esposito, Luciano, Palazzi and Bonsignore. You can check out our feature from last season.  Bonsignore first appeared as a student from the Accademia Rossiniana program in 2011.

The festival also includes a number of concerts by various performers. Additional information and tickets are available online.

Davide Luciano is a regular at the Berlin Opera this season where he is performing Sid in La fanciulla del West, Marcello in La boheme, Ping in Turandot, Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia and Sgt. Lescaut in Manon Lescaut. Alex Esposito is serving up another full plate of Mozart this year, singing Papageno in Venice and Munich and Leporello in Munich. Mirco Palazzi switches to Bellini, singing Giorgio in I puritani in Catania and Rodolfo in La sonnambula in Bilbao.

Video from Alex Esposito's Rosenblatt Recital

Alex Esposito

Last month we posted about Alex Esposito's recital at Wigmore Hall, which happened on February 5th. We now have some video, which was part of the Rosenblatt Recital series. 

Alex Esposito sings Tosti's "Non t'amo più":

 Alex Esposito - ROSSINI Cade dal ciglio (Mosè in Egitto)

 Alex Esposito - ROSSINI Accusata di furto (La Gazza Ladra)

Esposito can next be seen performing his signature role of Leporello in Mozart's Don Giovanni a the Théâtre du capitole in Toulouse, France. The title role will be shared by barihunks Christopher Maltman and Kostas Smoriginas. Performances run from March 15-28 and tickets are available online.