Saimir Pirgu

At the age of 22, Saimir Pirgu was chosen by Claudio Abbado to perform Ferrando in Così Fan Tutte. He has since collaborated with such renowned conductors as Campanella, Conlon, Gatti, Muti, Maazel, Ozawa and Pappano, performing at the world’s most prestigious opera houses: Teatro alla Scala in Milan; Opéra National de Paris; R.O.H.-Covent Garden; Metropolitan Opera (NY); and Wiener Staatsoper. Highlights of his career include: Don Giovanni (Paris), L'Elisir d'Amore (Vienna), La Traviata (London), Rigoletto (Zurich), Die Zauberfloete (Teatro alla Scala), Gianni Schicchi (Metropolitan Opera in NY and LA Opera directed by Woody Allen). He made an exciting debut as Idomeneo conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt at the Styriarte Festival in Graz. Riccardo Muti invited him for Verdi’s Requiem at the Salzburg Festival, where he obtained great success both of public and critics and where he will return next year again under the baton of Riccardo Muti.

His future plans include: La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera; I Capuleti e i Montecchi in San Francisco; Iolanta, La Traviata (Theater an der Wien) in Vienna; Rigoletto in London; Don Giovanni in Paris.