Opera Rara has named Ermonela Jaho and Michael Spyres Artist Ambassadors.

The company announced the news on the 225th anniversary of Donizetti’s birth. In the new role, Jaho and Spyres will work to raise the international profile of the charity, assist in the development of new projects and educational activities, and feature in the company’s recording and performance projects.

In a statement Henry Little, Chief Executive of Opera Rara said, “We welcome Ermonela Jaho and Michael Spyres to the new role of Artist Ambassadors. They have both shown a passion for Opera Rara’s work to restore rare and forgotten operas, having both featured on award-winning recordings. It is a part of our mission to work with the world’s greatest artists, and we are grateful for the relationships that have been developed with Ermonela and Michael in the recording studio and on the concert stage. Our artists are a part of the Opera Rara family, and their dedication to Opera Rara’s mission is the backbone of what the company has become known for: sustained artistic excellence. During their period as Artist Ambassadors, Ermonela and Michael will continue their work of sharing operatic rarities with our audiences.”

Spyres added, “Opera Rara is an invaluable institution that has broadened the horizons of the opera world, by rediscovering the great lost works of the past. No other institution has done as much for the world of opera in terms of research, recording, and education than Opera Rara, and we all owe them a debt of gratitude. Countless individuals such as myself have made their careers with the help of Opera Rara, and with your support, a lasting artistic legacy will be possible.”

Meanwhile, Jaho said, “I love to work with Opera Rara because they make fabulous operatic discoveries come to life for us all to enjoy. In this noisy world, this beautiful music from the past sings to our inner spirit. I feel that I am a part of a unique family of artists, researchers, and supporters who are passionate about the past made new, and as an Artist Ambassador, I invite you to become a part of the Opera Rara family.”

Opera Rara also announced that Jaho and Spyres will record solo albums of newly restored songs of Gaetano Donizetti as a part of the Donizetti Song Project, a multi-year program of recordings and performances to present the complete songs of Gaetano Donizetti.