Maestro Giuseppe Raffa is an Italian born conductor and composer of rare refinement and elegance in style. A passionate and talented orchestra conductor, and energetic artistic producer, he has been defined by his colleagues as “the revolutionary innovator of stage concept. An expert on lyrical voice, who can today be considered as one of the greatest experts on Italian bel canto technique. He has studied at Music conservatory of Milan “Giuseppe Verdi”; and specifically composition studies under Bruno Bettinelli and orchestra conducting with Mario Gusella. He then undertook specialization studies at the “Accademia Chigiana”  with Franco Ferrara and in Paris with renowned French conductor George Pretre. The maestro has produced and conducted over 3,000 events in his career. As soon as he finished his studies at the conservatory, he was sent to conduct Donizetti’s Figlia del Reggimento in Poland in the late seventies during the Iron Curtain of the communist countries and remained conducting in those countries for a few years, gaining important experience conducting over 30 opera titles.

The performances in South Africa’s Pretoria Football Stadium enjoyed the patronage of new President elected Nelson Mandela and the sponsorship of Ned Bank. It was one of the greatest Aida productions by Giuseppe Raffa, and indeed the greatest event that had ever taken place in the country, with an audience of 80,000 people and an extraordinary performance of Soprano Wilhelmenia Fernandez in the title role. A truly historical event.

The second great Opera produced by Raffa was Verdi’s
Nabucco, a production that was first staged in Munich
Olympia Halle.  Nabucco was a very singular and
innovative production, with a central four-angled
pyramid shaped stage, placed in the centre of the arena, and facing the audience at 360°. There was no backstage and performers walked in and out of the structure through purposely placed doors and hatches. It was also a visual production, with projections and other visual effects flooding from above and all around the stage, creating moving and exciting virtual environments and atmospheres.

Four sold-out performances were held and one of the leading German newspapers, the Suddeutsche Zeitung, stated “Wie einst Karajan” (like once Karajan) meaning that like this great Austrian conductor and artistic director, Raffa took thoroughly charge of all creative and artistic matters, from costumes to stage concept and direction, and of course, music.

But this was not the only time when Karajan’s name was associated to that of Giuseppe Raffa. In 1990, after a successful tour of Aida in the Pacific Area, following a series of important meetings in Beijing, supported by an entourage of international sponsors, Raffa convinced the Chinese Government to hold a Turandot production inside the Forbidden City.

 A press conference was held to announce this extraordinary event to be produced and directed by Giuseppe Raffa, generating world resonance. Many, among which the great Karajan, had attempted to realize this project of great relevance and magnitude but the Chinese Government had never been heeded to give its permission. In recognition of this achievement, the German conductor sent a warm telegram of congratulations to Giuseppe Raffa.

Raffa’s next opera production to see the light was Puccini’s  Madame Butterfly, produced in co-production with the “Arena di Verona “for an impressive amount of 19 performances with some 200,000 spectators. The further developed and impressive virtual scenery concept is the true protagonist of this grand and majestic, yet incredibly intimate opera production. There is no physical element present on stage of over 300 meters diameter. Every scene, ambient and atmosphere is created virtually, giving prospective and sense of depth, and producing true emotions, on an otherwise flat and bear surface.

The Madame Butterfly production was then staged again in other important cities and capitals of the world, achieving a remarkable success with both audience and critics.

The last opera production conceived by Giuseppe Raffa is Verdi’s  Rigoletto. Another step further opening towards the future, with the introduction of more advanced audio-visual technologies for the virtualization of scenery, reached a new sense of depth, perspective and interactivity between stage reality and virtual – a technology that can now be used in traditional theatres. Rigoletto’s production thus started a tour of Italian opera theatres that will then extend to other European theatres of tradition.