Palermo – Sicily

Andrea Licata was a student of the legendary Franco Ferrara whose studio also included such conductors as Riccardo Muti, Sir Andrew Davis and Riccardo Chailly.

In 1989 Licata was invited by Hans Werne Henze to inaugurate the CANTIERE INTERNAZIONALE in Montepulciano and he subsequently went on to become Musical Director at TEATRO MASSIMO VINCENZO BELLINI DI CATANIA.

His guest conducting appearances have included engagements by OPERA DI ROMA, WELSH NATIONAL OPERA and OPERA NORTH for  TOSCA, IL TROVATORE and LA TRAVIATA, by  THE ROYAL SWEDISH OPERA for NORMA, and by the NEW ORLEANS OPERA for AIDA.

He also enjoyed a long association with the BALTIMORE OPERA which included productions of TURANDOT, MADAMA BUTTERFLY, RIGOLETTO, CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA & I PAGLIACCI, LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST and LA BOHEME.

He made his debut for OPERA AUSTRALIA conducting NORMA in 2003, which led to return invitations for NABUCCO, IL TRITTICO, UN BALLO IN MASCHERA and AIDA and developed an ongoing association with the company which has continued until the present time and seen him conduct multiple seasons of IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, TURANDOT, LA FORZA DEL DESTINO, LA BOHEME, DON CARLO, LUISA MILLER,  CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA & I PAGLIACCI, RIGOLETTO, LA TRAVIATA and, most recently ATTILA in 2022.

Of his work, the BALTIMORE SUN has written, Licata, as usual, provided a textbook case of authentic Italian opera conducting – passionate yet sensible, propulsive yet always open to possibilities for rubato., while KULTURBLOGGEN in Sweden has said, … Italian maestro Andrea Licata deserves nothing but praise., and in the SUNDAY TIMES, The best work comes from the excellent orchestra and chorus under Andrea Licata’s experienced, idiomatic baton., and in OPERA BRITANNIA, … the real stars of the show… the wonderful playing by the orchestra conducted with considerable élan by Andrea Licata.

He has recorded on numerous occasions with the ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA conducting overtures and orchestral music of Verdi, Giordano, Leoncavallo, Mascagni and Puccini and Saint-Saëns’  CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS in multiple recordings including with narration by Sir John Gielgud.  Other CDs include complete recordings of Bellini’s operas BIANCA E FERNANDO and ADELSON E SALVINI and of Marinuzzi’s JACQUERIE.

© Weaver Artist Management 2024

RECORDINGS

All enquiries to Jeff Weaver at Weaver Artist Management