On December 19, 2019, Saimir Pirgu will sing Rodolfo in La bohème at the Vienna State Opera, in the legendary Franco Zeffirelli production under the musical direction of Maestro Marco Armiliato, the first of a series of three performances running through December 25, 2019. He will share the stage with Irina Lungu as Mimì, Marco Caria as Marcello and Mariam Battistelli as Musetta.

Saimir Pirgu’s appearances as Rodolfo in La bohème include performances at the Gran Teatre del Liceu Barcelona (two different productions), the Washington National Opera, the Los Angeles Opera, and in a production for the Swiss Television which was broadcast all over the world. Although this is his first Rodolfo in Vienna, the Albanian born, Italian naturalized tenor has long been a local favorite, having been much applauded in numerous roles such as Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, Alfredo in La traviata, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Ferrando in Così fan tutte, Duca di Mantova in Rigoletto, and Fenton in Falstaff.

After this Vienna Bohème,  Saimir Pirgu’s upcoming engagements include role debuts as Lenskij in Evgenij Onegin at the Rome Opera and as Amleto in Faccio’s homonymous opera at the Teatro Filarmonico Verona, the tenor soloist part in Verdi’s Messa da Requiem at the Rome Opera, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor at the Royal Opera House London, Don José in Carmen at the Teatro San Carlo Naples, and a Gala Concert at the Théâtre des Champs Élysées Paris.

Information about La bohème at the Vienna State Opera:

Mimì: Irina Lungu; Rodolfo: Saimir Pirgu; Marcello: Marco Caria; Musetta: Mariam Battistelli

Marco Armiliato, conductor; Franco Zeffirelli, stage director

Perfomances: 19, 22, 25 December 2019

[Photo by Fadil Berisha]