Maestro move: Arena di Verona appoints Chinese chief
mainWe hear from Shanghai that Xu Zhong is to be principal conductor at the Arena di Verona. The title given on the Chinese billboard is ‘principal director’ but we think this is a mistranslation from Italian via Chinese into English.
Xu had a success in Verona in April 2014, directing a Beethoven concerto from the keyboard. In 2012, he was named artistic director of the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania, Sicily.
Here’s another announcement photo from Shanghai. We await confirmation from Verona.
h/t: Rudolph Tang
Always thought Arena di Verona was devoted strictly to opera. And that Teatro Massimo Bellini is chiefly an opera house. So, is Xu Zhong principally an opera person? Some clarification, please.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGgA-Y7Aw6E
Here he is playing the Jeunehomme in Haifa, and not badly.
The Arena di Verona orchestra plays many symphony concerts as well opera and ballet in the Teatro Filarmonico . Then of course , there is the famous Summer opera season in the Arena.
It’s true. In the pictures you can see girondini, intendant of arena, signing the contract, and sobrino deputy Artistic director hugging Zhong
Thanks for the clarification, Helen.