Sumptuous harmonies, heart-wrenching melodies, intrigue, comedy, and high drama exemplify the golden age of Italian opera, and nowhere more so than in the work of these three legends: Verdi, Bellini and Rossini. Now, experience pianistic spectacle squared, as not one but two Italian virtuosos take on these masters at the keyboard, bringing you some of the most loved and celebrated operatic music arranged for piano four-hands in an evening of spirit-rousing sound and prodigious showmanship.
PROGRAMME:
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)
Nabucco (Overture)
La Traviata (Overture)
La Traviata (Brindisi - Libiamo ne' lieti calici)
The Force of Destiny(Overture)
Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835)
Norma (Ouverture)
Norma (Casta Diva)
Interval
Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)
The Italian Girl in Algiers (Overture)
The Barber of Seville (Overture)
The Barber of Seville (Largo al factotum)
William Tell (Overture)
Italian pianist Alessandro Licchetta has won numerous national and international competitions and has performed, as a soloist or in chamber ensembles, at various festivals and concert venues, such as the "Festival Terra tra due mari" in Gallipoli at the Castello Angioino; the “Camerata Musicale Salentina” in Castro at the Aragonese Castle; in Galatina “I Concerti del Chiostro” at the Cavallino Bianco Theatre; in Lecce the “Maggio Salentino” at the Apollo Theatre, the “Festival del XVIII Secolo” at the Palmieri Foundation, “Strade Maestre” at the Cantieri Teatrali Koreja; in Martina Franca “Pianolab”. He has also collaborated with the Valente Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Maestro Giuseppe Guida, and with the Balletto del Sud.
In 2021, together with the maestros Enrico Tricarico, Gabriella Stea and Andrea Sequestro, Alessandro created the record publication "Rêve d'amour" dedicated to the piano work of the Gallipoli composers Francesco Luigi Bianco and Angelo Schirinzi. He was Technical Director, on behalf of the Seraphicus association of Nardò, of the first edition of the “Premio Vittoria De Donno” International Music Competition held in Lecce from 4 to 8 June 2018 and is Artistic Director of the Festival del Capo di Leuca and of the events “Parla Piano” and “Piano|Mediano”. He is a founding member and President of the social promotion association Eleusi of Corsano (Italy). Alessandro teaches Piano at the I.C. "TO. De Blasi” of Taviano (Italy). In addition to his musical studies, he obtained a Master's Degree in Law from the University of Salento and subsequently the qualification to practice law.
Andrea Sequestro has enjoyed success at many competitions including at the International Music Competition "Erik Satie" of Lecce, the International Music Competition "La Vallonea" in Tricase (LE), the International Music Competition "Le Nouveau Jongleur" of Ruffano (LE) , the International Music Competition "Salento Music Competition" and "Le Nouveau Jongleur" of Ruffano, and the “ Concorso Nazionale Premio Musica Italia” of Barletta, il "Magnificat Lupiae" of Lecce. Andrea received his Bachelor Degrees in Piano with full marks ,honors and mention from both the “Tito Schipa” Conservatory of Lecce and the" T. Schipa” Conservatory of Lecce. He is currently attending the piano specialization course at the Musical Academy of Pescara under the guidance of Maestro Pasquale Iannone. He has performed in various festivals and concert institutions, such as the "Tithonos Festival" in Vaste (LE); in Lecce the "Maggio Salentino" at the Apollo Theater, the "18th Century Festival" at the Palmieri Foundation, "Strade Maestre" at the Cantieri Teatrali Koreja, “Classiche Forme” in Lecce under the artistic direction of Beatrice Rana, "Tempo di musica" in Galatone, Fundacion Eutherpe in Leon (Spain).
Andrea has also collaborated with con il M° Corrado De Bernart in the realization of a series of conferences on the life of Gioachino Rossini, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the disappearance of the composer through the execution of transcriptions for four hands of the most famous Rossinian overtures, and on the American musical scene of the XVII-XIX century, placing particular focus on the music of Louis Moreau Gottschalk, ragtime and George Gershwin. He is a founding member and secretary of the Association Eleusi of Corsano (Lecce).