Marco Gandini
Biography
Marco Gandini, born in 1966 and resident in Vicenza, Italy, has been associate director of iconic Italian director Franco Zeffirelli and British director Graham Vick. He has worked in the major Italian opera houses (including Teatro alla Scala, Rome Opera House, Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Teatro del Maggio Musicale in Florence, Arena in Verona, Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Teatro Comunale in Bologna) and international opera companies (The Metropolitan Opera House in New York, Washington and Los Angeles Opera, NNT in Tokyo, Royal Opera House in London, Teatro Real in Madrid, Teatro Liceu in Barcelona, Marinsky Theatre in San Petersburg, Kremlin Theatre in Moscow, Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens).
Among the highlights of his career are Cavalleria Rusticana and La Vida Breve by De Falla in Livorno, for the opening of Teatro Goldoni, attended by President of Italian Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, La Traviata in Genova, revivals of historic productions of Aida and Bohème at Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Un Ballo in Maschera as inauguration at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Betulia Liberata first staged version conducted by Riccardo Muti at Pfingstfestspiele in Salzburg and at Ravenna Festival, Bohème at Rome Opera with conductor James Conlon, Pia de’ Tolomei conducted by Hoshide, as first Japanese representation of this opera for the opening of new Teatro del Giglio in Tokyo, Simon Boccanegra at Korean National Opera in Seoul conducted by Myung-whun Chung, Viaggio a Reims new production for the opera season inauguration at Teatro del Maggio Fiorentino conducted by Rustioni, Bohème conducted by Myung-whun Chung in a new production as celebration for 50th anniversary of Korean National Opera in Seoul, then touring at NCPA in Beijing, Trovatore at Novaya Theatre in Moscow conducted by Jan Latham-Koenig, Il Flauto Magico, in the rare Italian 1794 version, and La Cambiale di Matrimonio at Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Il Farnace by Vivaldi in a premiere representation in contemporary epoch at Festival del Maggio in Florence conducted by Sardelli, Aida at Teatro Municipal in São Paulo conducted by Neschling for season inauguration, Sonnambula conducted by Dante Mazzola at Teatro del Giglio in Tokyo, Medea in Tallinn new dramaturgy for original ballet, Evgenij Onegin conducted by Delacote and Tosca conducted by Caetani at Teatro Municipal in São Paulo, revival of Bohème at Teatro alla Scala in a special cooperation with El Sistema and Simon Bolivar Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Dudamel for 2015 Expo, Nozze di Figaro in Tokyo and Shanghai conducted by Tang in an exclusive project of coproduction between Japan and China never achieved before, La Voix Humaine and new ballet creation of La Strada conducted by Carlo Ponti at the National Opera in Tbilisi, nationally live broadcasted patronized by Italian Ambassador, Georgian Ministry of Culture and international actress Sofia Loren, Nozze di Figaro at National Opera in Tallinn, Cavalleria and Pagliacci at Grand Theatre Tianjin conductor Tang, Bohème at Teatro Verdi in Trieste conductor Balsadonna and Birgitta Festival in Tallinn conductor Joost, Nozze di Figaro at National Opera in Tallinn conductor Joost, Don Giovanni Teatro del Giglio in Tokyo conductor Hoshide, Navarraise as Japan premiere and Pagliacci at Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo with NHK national broadcast conductor Shibata, Falstaff in Budapest and Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza conductor Ivan Fisher, Falstaff at Teatro del Giglio in Tokyo conductor Paszkowski, revived at Teatro della Maestranza en Seville conductor Hallfter being first Japanese production hired by European company, Gala Concert at Kremlin Theatre in Moscow for Obraztsova Foundation as artistic director and host of the show.
Gandini has been the producer for short documentary Steps for Life selected at 76 Venice Film Festival in 2019. Short movie Masha’s Friends is currently under production.
Productions 2020-2022: Giovanna D’arco at the National Theater in Tallinn (national premiere), Don Giovanni at the Teatro del Giglio in Tokyo with video projections of films specially shot in Venice and online direction during the Covid period, I Capuleti e Montecchi with the Simón Bolivar Orchestra in Caracas conductor Ascanio, production preceded by a series of 250 instructional videos on the work sponsored by the Hilti Foundation. A Survivor from Moscow scene and video installation with Moni Ovadia and Don Giovanni at Teatro Massimo in Palermo conductor Meir Wellber, Nozze di Figaro conductor Suzuki and Il Campiello conductor Tokito, Cosi Fan Tutte as remote scenic and digital 3D video project during the Covid director Paszkowski, The Turn of the Screw at Müpa in Budapest and Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza with Budapest Festival Orchestra conductor Ivan Fischer, Kaiserrequiem new composition based on Der Kaiser von Atlantis by Ullmann and Requiem by Mozart for inauguration at Teatro Massimo in Palermo conductor Meir Wellber.
Upcoming productions for 2023: Giovanna D’arco new production at the National Theater in Tallinn (national premiere), Bohème revival at Teatro alla Scala for Zeffirelli 100th anniversary, Pia de’ Tolomei new production conductor Andres Ascanio with Simon Bolivar Orchestra, Pelléas et Melisande new production conductor Ivan Fischer with Budapest Festival Orchestra in Budapest, Vicenza Teatro Olimpico, Festival di Spoleto, Hamburg, Elisir d’amore conductor Paszkowski new production in Tokyo, Tosca by Zeffirelli revival for Japan tour with Rome Opera, La Fille du Regiment set and costume by Zeffirelli and new stage direction at Teatro Bellini in Catania, Tosca new production conductor Matheuz in Caracas with Simon Bolivar Orchestra.
Marco Gandini is resident senior professor at Showa University of Music in Tokyo – Japan from 2007, producing one opera each year with young artist singers and young orchestra players. Showa Academy opera productions gained first rank in Japan and has relations and exchange with Shanghai Conservatory of Music and Korean music universities. Gandini has been teaching at Teatro alla Scala Academy for Singers in Milan – Italy from 2000-2018, being the teacher appointed for the wider span of time. He has been co-director for Opera Studio Ticino Musica at Lugano Conservatory of Music in Lugano – Switzerland 2015-2018 for singers and young orchestra players. He is teacher for opera studio at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre from 2019 in Tallinn – Estonia producing operas with singers and young orchestra players. Gandini is actually director for the Young Artist Program with El Sistema de Venezuela and Simón Bolivar Chorus and Orchestra in a seven-year project aimed at the formation for opera singers, chorus, orchestra players and conductors for opera. The program, sponsored by Hilti Foundation, is part of the Itinerant Conservatory Inocente Carreño, which gathers prominent musicians from all over the world teaching all instruments. The program produces one opera a year, next year is the fourth one to come. Gandini is teacher at Iberacademy Colombia, for the formation of singers, players and orchestra conductor, in association with Eafit University Medellin Colombia, Musikkollegium Winterthur Switzerland, and New World Symphony Miami USA.