QATAR PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
UAE PREMIERE
OVERVIEW
In honour of the 125th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi’s passing, this magnificent opera gala brings together the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra under the masterful direction of David Crescenzi, with celebrated soprano Maria Agresta and distinguished tenor Giorgio Berrugi, two of today’s leading interpreters of Verdi’s music.
The programme journeys through Verdi’s most iconic works, from the grandeur of Nabucco and I vespri siciliani to the passion and emotional depth of Otello and La traviata, intertwining powerful overtures, arias and duets that reflect the full breadth of his operatic genius. Through music of dramatic intensity, lyrical beauty and profound humanity, the concert pays tribute to Verdi’s enduring legacy and his transformative impact on opera and the symphonic tradition.
An unforgettable evening honouring the timeless brilliance of Italy’s greatest operatic master, whose music continues to inspire artists and audiences around the world.
PROGRAMME
Nabucco
Sinfonia
Rigoletto
Questa o quella
Oberto, Conte di San Bonifacio
Tutto ho perduto… Sciagurata a questo lido… Cela il foglio
La traviata
Duet: Parigi, o cara!
Luisa Miller
Overture
Simon Boccanegra
Come in quest’ora bruna
Luisa Miller
Quando le sere al placido
Otello
Duet: Già nella notte densa
I vespri siciliani
Overture
Simon Boccanegra
Oh inferno! Cielo pietoso!
Otello
Mi parea… Salce, salce… Ave Maria
Un ballo in maschera
Duet: Teco io sto
Artists
Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra
The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO) is a pioneering cultural institution that proudly represents Qatar on the world stage. Founded in 2007 by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the orchestra brings together 78 world class musicians from 28 countries, many of whom have performed with the world’s leading ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic, Frankfurt Opera, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Tonhalle Zürich, Teatro Colón and NDR Radiophilharmonie.
Known for its innovative programming and unique sound, QPO blends Western symphonic traditions with the rich musical heritage of the Arab world, creating performances that are globally resonant and deeply rooted in the region’s cultural legacy.
With more than 500 performances to date, QPO has graced prestigious stages around the world, including La Scala (Milan), Konzerthaus Wien (Vienna), Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (Paris), Santa Cecilia (Rome), the Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.) and the Royal Albert Hall (London).
QPO is a source of national pride and a symbol of Qatar’s commitment to cultural excellence. Driven by a mission to make music accessible to all, QPO continues to break barriers, inspire new generations and lead the way in shaping a vibrant musical future for Qatar and the region.
David Crescenzi, Conductor
Pianist, orchestral and choral conductor, Crescenzi studied at the Conservatory of Pesaro, specialising in orchestral instruments, choral music, choir conducting and piano. He began his career as a répétiteur, accompanist pianist and assistant conductor, later establishing himself as a conductor and chorus master.
Crescenzi served as Guest Conductor at the Cairo Opera House from 1998to 2003. Between 1999 and 2001, he was Chorus Master at Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa, and during the 2004–2005 season served as Assistant to the Music Director at Teatro di San Carlo in Naples.
In the symphonic repertoire, he has conducted the Orchestra of Teatro Regio di Parma, the Benedetto Marcello Orchestra of Teramo, the Marche Chamber Orchestra, the Bologna Chamber Orchestra, the G. Rossini Symphony Orchestra of Pesaro, the Marchigiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the Alessandria and Piemonte Philharmonic Orchestras and the Zagreb Opera Orchestra in Croatia.
He has conducted in Doha, Qatar and collaborated with internationally renowned artists such as Francesco Manara, Simonide Braconi, soprano Nadja Michael, baritone Franz Grundheber, tenor Francisco Casanova, the principal violinist and violist of Teatro alla Scala in Milan, as well as the French flautist Maxence Larrieu.
In September 2014,Crescenzi was appointed Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Cairo Opera House. Following successful engagements at Deutsche Oper am Rhein inDüsseldorf, where he conducted Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore and Puccini’s Turandot during the 2016–2017 season, he became a guest conductor.
His connection with Romania began in 2002 through the Romanian National Opera of Timișoara, with which he participated in the International George Enescu Festival in Bucharest, conducting Puccini’s Tosca. He also collaborated with the National Opera Bucharest and the Romanian National Opera of Iași. In November 2008, Crescenzi first conducted the Orchestra of the Romanian National Opera in Cluj-Napoca, leading a gala performance of Verdi’s Otello. This was followed by productions of Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, Rigoletto, and Aida, as well as Puccini’s La Bohème.
Maria Agresta, Soprano
Winner of several music competitions, the soprano Maria Agresta made her professional debut in 2007. Notable success came after a few years, in 2011, when she performed I vespri siciliani at the Teatro Regio in Turin conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, to great acclaim from the public and critics. Since then, she has been invited to sing on the most important stages worldwide.
Highlights include the title role in Norma (Tel Aviv); Mimì in La Bohème (Arena di Verona, Munich, the San Carlo in Naples, Teatro Regio in Turin and at the Festival Puccini in Torre del Lago); the title role of Gemma di Vergy at the Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo; Elvira in Don Giovanni and Mimì at La Scala, Milan; Leonora in Il trovatore (Valencia); Violetta in La traviata (Berlin Staatsoper).
Numerous other opera performances have included the role of Maria in Simon Boccanegra in Rome conducted by Riccardo Muti and in Dresden conducted by Christian Thielemann; Verdi’s Requiem at the San Carlo in Naples conducted by Nicola Luisotti, at the Staatsoper Berlin conducted by Daniel Barenboim and at La Scala conducted by Zubin Mehta; Desdemona in Otello in Valencia conducted by Zubin Mehta; Lucrezia in I due Foscari at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden conducted by Antonio Pappano; Turandot at La Scala conducted by Riccardo Chailly. She has sung Elisabetta in Don Carlo at the Teatro Real Madrid and the Teatro La Fenice, Venice; Tosca at the Opéra de Paris; Madama Butterfly at Covent Garden; Adriana Lecouvreur at La Scala; Maddalena di Coigny in Adriana Lecouvreur at the Wiener Staatsoper; Turandot at the Lyric Opera, Chicago; Mimì in La Bohème and Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera, New York. Agresta won the Franco Abbiati prize in 2014 and the international Luigi Illica prize.
Giorgio Berrugi, Tenor
Nominated by Plácido Domingo as one of his heirs, Giorgio Berrugi is recognised as one of today’s most distinguished Italian tenors, admired for his warm tone, refined musicality and expressive artistry.
He has performed at leading venues worldwide, including Teatro alla Scala, the Royal Opera House in London, Lincoln Center in New York, the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, the Opéra de Paris, Deutsche Oper Berlin, San Francisco Opera, Arena di Verona and Teatro Regio Torino, collaborating with conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Christian Thielemann, Fabio Luisi, Andris Nelsons and Gustavo Dudamel.
Recent highlights include Remigio da Varagine in the world première of Filidei’s Il nome della rosa at La Scala, Siegmund in Die Walküre at the Vienna State Opera, and leading roles in Les contes d’Hoffmann, Tosca, Madama Butterfly and Fedora across Europe.
A former principal clarinettist of the Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma, Berrugi began singing in 2007 and soon made his operatic debut as Rodolfo in La Bohème at Teatro La Fenice.
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