“The Value of the Italian Language from Mozart to Puccini in Italian Opera”
As part of the 26th Week of the Italian Language in the World 2026 – “A Brilliant Language: Imagining, Designing and Creating in Italian” – and the EATALIAN TALKS series, we invite you to join us for a conversation with Maestro Michelangelo Galeati, Professor Roberto Giuliani and soprano Alice Gavagnin from the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome, for a journey exploring the Italian language through opera.
Beginning with the extensive libretto-writing tradition of Lorenzo Da Ponte and continuing through to the renowned playwrights and librettists Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, the event explores the importance of the Italian language within the musical landscape of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
“The Value of the Italian Language from Mozart to Puccini in Italian Opera”
- TUESDAY 27 OCTOBER 2026
- Italian Cultural Institute – Level 4, 125 York Street, Sydney CBD
- 12.30–1.10pm
- Free admission. Bookings required via our Eventbrite profile HERE
BIO
Roberto Giuliani, musicologist and pianist, Director of the International School of Musical Sciences at the Majorana Foundation for Scientific Culture in Erice, was Director of Santa Cecilia Conservatory from 2016 to 2022, where he is now Head of international relations, member of Academic Council, full Professor of Music and Mass Media, History of Music, Research Methodology, coordinator of Doctorate in Artistic Research for the Critical Reflection of Musical Performance and of Creative Process, and part of the PhD College in Cultures, practices and technologies of cinema, media, music, theater and dance of the University of Roma Tre.
He has previously taught at the Universities of Lecce, Macerata, Naples, Parma, and Rome, and has been a member of Ministero dei Beni Culturali Advisory Board, member of Società Italiana di Musicologia Governing Council, and a scientific advisor to the Ministry of University and Research, RAI Radiotelevision, the Strega Prize, and the National Institute for Sound and Audiovisual Heritage.
Within the scope of his humanitarian interests, Giuliani has launched a vast activity in the Conservatory towards the different abilities, promoting experimentation protocols with the major hospitals and research centers; for his continuous activity in the sectors of the diffusion and social function of music, and for his activity in the sector of the interactions between music and disability, he has been awarded numerous national and international awards.
Relationships between music and mass media are Giuliani’s principal areas of investigation, with a focus on disc, radio, television and film music, with particular attention to the staging of operatic works. He has led research projects, participated in congresses, lectured widely and given courses, has published monographs and essay collections, essays in national and international journals; among his works, the book, Music in film and television, presented in the Sala accademica of the Santa Cecilia Conservatory by Ennio Morricone and Franco Piersanti.
Michelangelo Galeati,Cellist and conductor serves as Professor of Orchestra at the “Santa Cecilia” Conservatory in Rome, Italy, where he also oversees International Relations and the management of major EU-funded projects. Represented by the German agency Konzertbüro Richter, he has conducted orchestras across Europe, the Americas, and China. His performances have taken place at prestigious venues including the Mozarteum in Salzburg, the Berliner Philharmonie in Berlin, the Teatro Helena Sá e Costa in Porto, the Theater Trier, the Palais des Nations in Geneva, and Carnegie Hall in New York.
His professional commitment bridges artistic practice, research, and innovation, with a particular focus on opera, digitalization, and audience engagement. He has served as Artistic Director for international projects such as Opera out of Opera and Bella Musica, consistently championing innovative approaches to music education and performance. In 2026, he represented Italy by conducting at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to mark the 80th anniversary of the proclamation of the Italian Republic.
Alice Gavagnin, opera singer – Rome, Italy
Born on 2 June 2004, Alice began her musical journey at the age of nine with the study
of the flute. Since then, she has continuously cultivated her passion for music alongside her
academic education. After attending a scientific high school, she began her studies in Law at
Sapienza University of Rome, while continuing her musical training.
She holds a First-Level Academic Diploma in Opera Singing from the Conservatorio di Musica
Santa Cecilia in Rome, where she is currently attending the second year of the Biennio in Opera
Singing under the guidance of Maestro Emanuela Salucci.
Her concert experience includes the Opera Out of Opera project, with performances at Palazzo
Chigi and in the Sala Accademica of the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia. Together with her teacher,
she has also performed at the Embassy of Kazakhstan and the Egyptian Academy.
As part of the Aria Fresca project, she performed the role of Dorabella in W. A. Mozart’s Così
fan tutte in a concert in Piazza Navona. She has also performed with the Rithmosinfonica
Orchestra of the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in an Erasmus concert.
She has been awarded First Prize in Singing and First Prize in Chamber Music at the Città di
Tarquinia International Music Competition, as well as Second Prize at the Sette Note Romane
Competition.
