Zeina Barhoum as Violetta, and Riccardo Gatto as Alfredo. Photo: Courtesy of AOF
Jordan’s AA Theatre is set to come alive with the post-Covid return of the Amman Opera Festival‘s (AOF) fourth edition on November 16. The first of its kind in the Arab world, the festival will present the famed opera by Giuseppe Verdi, La Traviata, under the patronage of HRH Princess Muna Al-Hussein, with Jordanian soprano and AOF founder Zeina Barhoum playing the protagonist Violetta. Joining her are Riccardo Gatto as Alfredo, Carlo Morini as Giorgio Germont, and a number of singers from Italy and Jordan accompanied by The Italian Piacenza Opera House Choir, the Amici di Fritz Orchestra, and musicians from Jordan conducted by Massimo Taddia and directed by Riccardo Canessa.
Zeina Barhoum as Violetta, and Riccardo Gatto as Alfredo. Photo: Courtesy of AOF
Speaking to Vogue Arabia, Barhoum shared the initiatives taken on by the AOF to create “solid grounds for a new and sustainable opera culture in Jordan.” The AOF will be curating a flower costumes exhibition based on the 1848 novel, La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils, which inspired La Traviata. The pieces will be designed by Jordanian talent from the film industry in collaboration with the opera’s Italian costume designer, and with arrangements by a Jordanian florist. Proceeds from each dress sold will benefit the King Hussein Cancer Centre. What’s more, the AA Theatre’s seats have also been designed with brass plate inserts on the back, which can be purchased with full proceeds going to the cancer center, after the name of the donor is inscribed on the plate to mark their donation.
Zeina Barhoum as Violetta, and Riccardo Gatto as Alfredo. Photo: Courtesy of AOF
As part of the AOF’s mission to give back to the local community for a better future, its educational program, An Eye on Music in Education, will host a workshop open to students from different schools. The program will aim to share the importance of cultural literacy and the history of opera, while helping discover new talent in the country, and providing a platform for vocational opportunities for singers and individuals interested in pursuing a career in the performing arts and the world of opera.
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