Four hands, full heart

MANILA, Philippines -  â€œFour Hands at the Opera” is, unarguably, a vibrant celebration of  Italian culture. And this will be showcased in full joyous force when a program entirely devoted to the four most famous Italian opera composers of the 19th century – Rossini, Verdi, Donizetti and Puccini – will be staged on July 13, Saturday at 7.30 p.m. at the CCP Little Theater.

The program will feature four fantasies taken from the most popular works of this famous quartet of composers, which spectacularly showcase sparkling music and high melodrama, to be performed by conductor, pianist, composer Luciano Bellini and concert pianist and recording artist Antonella Vitelli.

Bellini’s works have been executed in nearly all western countries, in the Middle and Far East and in South America, and have also been recorded by several national broadcasting stations and networks. 

He is the permanent conductor of Nova Philarmonia and guest conductor or soloist for many international orchestras. He and Vitelli co-founded the Italian Pianistic Duo.

As an added bonus, this year being the bicentenary of Giuseppe Verdi’s birth, the program has been further enriched with the overture taken from “Forza del Destino” and with his only two piano solos found so far – the rarely performed “Romance sans paroles,”  and “Waltz in F Major.” 

The aim of this chamber music concert is to celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of the great master from Busseto in a performance dedicated to the excellence of Italian art and culture.

Bellini has realized all the musical arrangements and four-hands piano transcriptions, dedicating them to “Duo Pianistico Italiano” and to anyone who wishes to explore the kaleidoscopic world of the 19th century Italian opera.

A co-production of the CCP, Philippine Italian Association, Rustan’s,  the embassy of Italy, in cooperation with The Peninsula Manila as the hotel sponsor and Ralph’s Wines & Spirits, the event is being staged for the benefit of the PIA Endowment Fund. – Raul de Asis

Tickets available at the CCP Box Office (832-3706),  Ticketworld (891-9999), Secretariat (c/o Lulu Casas,  895-2109/2404) and the PIA office (c/o Marisa Ronquillo, 815-1310).