The Masterclass will take place from the 1st to the 3rd August 2024 at the Santarcangelo Auditorium, Italy.
Application Deadline: 22nd July 2024
Application Fee: 80 Euros
Application Masterclass: 280 Euros
Spectators Fee: 100 Euros
The masterclass will include 3 individual lessons with the official piano accompanist.
Final concert Saturday 3rd August at the Polivalente Hall in Santarcangelo.
BIOGRAPHY
Recognized as a point of reference in the bel canto repertoire, Bruno de Simone is one of the most appreciated singer-actors in the international operatic world.
Born in Naples. At the same time as his classical and university studies in Law, he dedicated himself to the study of singing, first under the guidance of Prof. Marika Rizzo, and subsequently with the famous Sesto Bruscantini, with whom he perfected his entire repertoire, cultivating a human and staff that lasted until his death.
After having established himself in various national and international singing competitions (the first, ENAL of Palermo won at just twenty years old, followed by the A. Belli of Spoleto 1980, the Toti dal Monte of Treviso 1981, he made his debut as Valentin in Faust and Albert in Wether, Figaro from the Barbiere di Siviglia and Figaro from Le Nozze di Figaro; he was awarded a gold medal as the youngest finalist at the Voci Verdiane Competition in Busseto in 1980, President of the jury Renata Tebaldi soon standing out as an ideal interpreter of playful eighteenth-nineteenth century drama and comic opera, distinguishing himself in particular in the Rossini repertoire (17 roles to his credit) and Donizetti.
The comic opera
He was the successful protagonist of many of the most important comic opera productions from the 90s onwards, not only by Rossini, but also by Cimarosa, Pergolesi, Paisiello, Galuppi, Tritto, in important revivals of rare compositions of the 18th century in the most prestigious theaters and festivals, from La Scala to the San Carlo in Naples, from the ROF in Pesaro to the Arena in Verona, from the Opernhaus in Zurich to the Fenice in Venice. Mention should be made of the revival of Lu Frate ‘nnamurato by GB Pergolesi at the Teatro Alla Scala, under the guidance of M. Muti in 1989 and 1990, and Le Cantatrici Villane by V. Fioravanti at the San Carlo in Naples alongside Cecilia Bartoli in 1991 and 1992.
A career around the world
With the theater of his city of origin he established a fruitful collaboration that would last twelve years, becoming a favorite of his audience, always fond of his interpretations. His career developed rapidly and he was a guest at all the main Italian and foreign theatres.
In addition to the aforementioned theatres, we remember the Opera of Rome, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Regio of Turin, the Regio of Parma, Comunale of Bologna, Santa Cecilia of Rome, Sferisterio of Macerata and, among the international ones, Opera Bastille of Paris, Liceu of Barcelona, Real of Madrid, ABAO of Bilbao, Stastoper of Vienna and Berlin, Bayerische StaatsOper, Grand Opera of Géneve, Opera Royal de Vallonie, Opernhaus of Zurich, as well as Tokyo, NTT and Japan TV, San Francisco Opera and Washington Opera.
Productions
He had the opportunity to perform from a very young age in prestigious productions alongside unrepeatable artists such as Alfredo Kraus (Werther in Venice) and Montserrat Caballè (Julius Caesar in Rome), Editha Gruberova (Linda di Chamounix in Vienna), Jaime Aragall (La Bohème in Naples ) and, last but not least, Sesto Bruscantini, his teacher, with whom he debuted the role of Taddeo in “L’Italiana in Algeri” in Verona; in more recent times, alongside Daniela Dessì, Joyce Di Donato, Elina Garanca, Cecilia Bartoli, Thomas Hampson, Juan Diego Florez and many others. Since 2002 he has participated in the Rossini Opera Festival, achieving significant successes for which he obtained the prestigious “Rossini d’Oro 2007”, for his masterful interpretations of Don Bartolo in “Il Barbiere di Siviglia”, Isidoro in “Matilde di Shabran” , Taddeo from “L’Italiana in Algeri”, Pacuvio from “La pietra del paragone”, Don Magnifco from “La Cenerentola”, Rimbaud from Le Comte Ory.
Since 2007 he has been a very successful interpreter of Don Bartolo also at the Verona Arena, directed by Hugo De Ana and conducted by Claudio Scimone, confirmed for four editions of the same production, until 2015. Again at the Arena, in 2012, he was Leporello of “Don Giovanni” by WA Mozart, the first historic performance of the opera in the Arena, directed by F. Zeffirelli and conducted by D. Oren, arousing the enthusiasm of critics and the public. In the Donizetti repertoire, he has been the successful protagonist of the most well-known buff roles several times: Don Pasquale and Malatesta (Teatro Alla Scala, dir. R. Muti, San Carlo in Naples, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Arena Sferisterio in Macerata, Opernhaus in Zurich), Marquis of Boifeury (Wien Staatsoper, Tokyo NTT, Liceu Barcelona, Opera di Roma). Particularly congenial to him was the role of Doctor Dulcamara, played in the major theatres, which he arrived at after having often sung that of Belcore.
As proof of his peculiar vocal and interpretative versatility, he was also applauded as Gianni Schicchi, in Amsterdam under the guidance of R. Chailly, at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in the 2019 season (DVD by Dynamic) and at the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago. Also in the role of Fra’ Melitone in “La forza del Destino” by G. Verdi he stood out for his performance in Barcelona, Turin, and Florence with the guidance of Z. Metha (ARTHAUS DVD).
In 2012 he also performed the pathetic role of Michonnet in “Adriana Lecouvreur” by F. Cilea, alongside Daniela Dessi’, at the Liceu in Barcelona.
But Rossini’s repertoire always continues to be present in his performances. In 2013 there is his Don Bartolo in the inauguration of the Teatro Real in Madrid, as subsequently in Berlin, Venice, Florence, Montecarlo, Géneve, Liège, Lausanne, Budapest, San Francisco and in 2018 at the prestigious Festival Choregies d’Orange; in Paris he is Don Magnifco at the Opera Garnier in 2012; in Amsterdam and Rome he is Trombonok in “The Journey to Reims”. He returns once again to the Teatro Alla Scala in 2016, in the role of the Doctor in “La cena delle beffe” by U. Giordano, with a magnificent characterization in realist style.
He recently sang the role of Sharpless in Butterfly, Kyoto in Iris and Beaupertuis in “Il hat din straw…” by N. Rota at the San Carlo in Naples, confirming his great versatility mentioned above. In his forty-year artistic career he boasts collaboration with directors of the caliber of Abbado, Chailly, Gatti, Lopez Cobos, Metha, Muti, Oren, Zedda, and important directors such as Cobelli, De Ana, Roberto De Simone, Martone, Pizzi, Sagi, Servillo , and Zeffirelli. He has been awarded numerous prizes: Tiberini d’Oro 2005, Rossini d’Oro 2007, Alfredo Catalani-Città di Lucca 2008, Cimarosa 2009, and recently Premio Le Muse 2013 – Musa Euterpe, in Florence in Palazzo Vecchio, in a solemn ceremony alongside illustrious protagonists from the world of art and culture.
Of note is his teaching activity which he has been carrying out with passion and dedication for several years: his Masterclasses always have a great following and appreciation from students and professionals who recognize in Bruno de Simone an excellent technical and interpretative guide for new generations.
In this context it is appropriate to mention the collaboration with the prestigious Accademia del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino which for several years and still sees him always busy with the role of Singing and Vocal Interpretation Teacher.