President Putin has granted Giancarlo Del Monaco Russian citizenship.

According to Tass, the Russian media, the news was published on the official legal information website of Russia.

Del Monaco is the son of famed opera tenor Mario del Monaco and made his directorial debut at the Metropolitan Opera with Puccini’s “La Faniculla del West.” He went on to direct 100 operas including “Stiffelio,” “Madama Butterfly,” “Simon Boccanegra,” “La Forza del Destino,” “Rigoletto,” “Turandot,” “Don Carlos,” “Norma,” “Pagliacci,” “Cavalleria Rusticana,” “La Traviata,” “Tosca,” and “Otello.” He directed in major theaters in Barcelona, Beijing, Berlin, Bologna, Bregenzer Festspiele, Buenos Aires, Catania, Hamburg, Los Angeles, Madrid, Munich, Milan, Montpellier, Naples, New York City, Chorégies d’Orange, Paris, Rome, Savonlinna, Stuttgart, Tel Aviv, Venice, Washington, Vienna and Zurich.

In November, Del Monaco directed a new production of Verdi’s “Rigoletto” at the Bolshoi Theatre.

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