Dedicated to Verdi – Recital Anna Netrebko & Ludovic Tézier

An event recital in Verdi's city

On May 1, 2026, the Giuseppe Verdi Theater in Busseto, in the heart of the Terre di Verdi in the province of Parma, Emilia-Romagna, hosted "Dedicated to Verdi", an opera recital conceived as a unique and exclusive event. The evening celebrated the 125th anniversary of the death of Giuseppe Verdi, who passed away in Milan on January 27, 1901, bringing his music back to the most symbolic place: the historic theater commissioned by the composer himself in the city where he spent his childhood and youth.

Anna Netrebko, entirely Verdian for the first time

The absolute star of the evening was soprano Anna Netrebko, one of the most acclaimed voices of our time, who for the first time in her career presented a recital entirely dedicated to the Verdian repertoire – a rare and anticipated choice. She was joined by baritone Ludovic Tézier, replacing Luca Salsi who was initially announced, and pianist Maestro Nelson Calzi. The musical cast was completed by the voices of Alexander Köpeczi and Cassandre Berthon.

The evening's program

The recital explored Verdi's great roles for soprano: Netrebko performed pieces related to Gilda, Violetta, Lady Macbeth, and Amelia. The second part intertwined voices and piano with moments of great theatricality:

• The duet between Rigoletto and Sparafucile, with Alexander Köpeczi
• Franz Liszt's Rigoletto: Paraphrase de concert, performed on piano by Nelson Calzi alone
• The duet between Gilda and Rigoletto, with Cassandre Berthon in the role of Giovanna
• As an encore, the duet between Susanna and the Count from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro

The instrument used was a top-tier Steinway & Sons grand piano. The evening concluded with a long standing ovation from an audience that had traveled from afar to Busseto.

Busseto, capital of the Terre di Verdi

The Municipality of Busseto is the beating heart of Verdian culture. Here you can find Casa Barezzi, the Verdi Theater housed within the Rocca Pallavicino, and, a short distance away, the hamlet of Roncole Verdi, where the composer was born in 1813. A recital of this caliber, hosted precisely in the theater that bears his name, represented an international-scale tribute, in line with Busseto's vocation as a destination for musical tourism in Emilia-Romagna.