Cecilia Sala

It’s no secret that soprano Anna Netrebko is one of opera’s true box office draws: Her performances of Il Trovatore last season were among the few nights the Met was completely sold out. But her new CD, Verismo, reveals she is more than just a star; her performances of arias and scenes from Italian opera highlight an artistry that is both subtle and thrilling.

Marco Quagliarini, pianist and composer, was born in Torre del Greco (Naples). At a very young age he studied the piano under Marino Mercurio, with whom he later gained a diploma with full marks and distinction at the "Nicola Sala" Music Conservatory in Benevento. He went on to study with the well-known Russian pianist Lazar Berman, and followed numerous master classes held by the pianist and his wife Valentina, finally concluding his studies at the Accademia Musicale in Florence.

Russian born Israeli pianist Roman Zaslavsky gained an international recognition after winning the Primer Gran Premio at the renowned “José Iturbi” International Piano Competition in Valencia, Spain. Since then he performs regularly at the major concert stages around the globe. His tours took him to almost all European countries as well as to Israel, Japan,Columbia, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil. In the past few years, the pianist has given performances also in Asia during his extensive tours in Taiwan and China appearing among others at the National Concert Hall in Taipei, at the Beijing Concert Hall, at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center etc.

The last recording of conductor Lorin Maazel. World-famous conductor Lorin Maazel was chief conductor of the Münchner Philharmoniker until shortly before his death in July 2014 at the age of 84. This live recording, which happened in February 2014, is probably the last recording of Maazel. It documents an acclaimed and moving concert in the Munich Philharmonie with Lorin Maazel and the Münchner Philharmoniker and their choir per-forming Verdi’s famous requiem. The excellent soloists were Anja Harteros (soprano), Daniela Barcellona (mezzo-soprano), Wookyung Kim (tenor) and Georg Zeppenfeld (bass).