The Wexford Festival Opera is an internationally recognized event that programs unusual and rare works. It also prides itself in supporting rising stars and giving them opportunities to explore a diverse repertoire. This season the company will present Catalani’s “Edmea” for its inaugural production, starring Luciano Ganci, one of Italy’s leading tenors.

Ganci will make his role debut as Oberto in “Edmea,” an opera he calls “brilliant” and notes that “it has been unjustly neglected: its arias, quest for rich musical texture, harmonic effects, fine concertato and dances all make this opera worthy of the attention drawn to it by the Wexford Festival for this 2021 edition.”

The role of Oberto is known for its demands of full technical and interpretative ability and which requires the performer to dominate his voice, moving from “fortissimo con impeto” to a declaimed “sussurrato.” For Ganci, this will be yet another verismo work in his repertoire following his interpretations of Puccini, Giordano, and Cilea as well as Mascagni. And or audiences who are not in Ireland to experience the rare work, “Edmea” be presented LIVE on Rte Culture and Arte Tv on Oct. 22 and can be viewed on-demand through RTÉ Player.

For the past decade, Ganci has performed at many major opera companies including the Teatro alla Scala, Teatro San Carlo di Napoli, Arena di Verona, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Maggio Musicale Florentino, and the Teatro Regio in Parma. His repertoire includes the music of Verdi, Puccini, Bizet, Mozart, Donizetti, Bellini, and Rossini, among others.

This season is a banner year for Ganci as he will also make another role debut as “Aroldo” at the Teatro Alighieri, Ravenna. Additionally, he will finally get to premiere the new production of “Adriana Lecouvreur” at the Teatro Comunale di Bologa and he will reprise his acclaimed Pinkerton in “Madama Butterfly” in Tokyo.

 Recording

For audiences who are not familiar with Ganci, the tenor has recordings of “Stiffelio,” “Giovanna d’Arco,” and “Pagliacci” as well as a film version of “Adriana Lecouvreur.”

Here he is singing “Il Trovatore.”

Here he is singing from “Adriana Lecouvreur.”

And here is a full recording of “Il Corsaro.”