Lado Ataneli - Scarpia*

Born in Georgia, started a career imposing himself on the international scene as an interpreter of dramatic roles such as Scarpia, Sharpless, Tonio, Alfio, Gérard, Jago, Germont, Jack Rance, Simon Boccanegra, Amonasro, Rigoletto, Conte di Luna, Nabucco and Macbeth. He is regularly invited to the MET, the ROH Covent Garden, the Vienna State Opera, the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, the Bavarian State Opera, the Opera Bastille in Paris and in the theaters of Hamburg, Zurich, Barcelona, Washington, Miami, Los Angeles. Among his engravings stands out: La Gioconda with Placido Domingo and Violeta Urmana (EMI) and the DVD of Thaïs conducted by Gianandrea Noseda at the Teatro Regio in Turin.

Plans: La Gioconda in Salerno and Un Ballo in Maschera in Berlin.

Hugo De Ana - Director

Born in Buenos Aires, has directed over sixty productions taking care of staging, set design, costumes and lighting. His productions of great visual and emotional impact, have been chosen to inaugurate prestigious seasons at the Teatro alla Scala with Il Trovatore conducted by Riccardo Muti and at the Opera in Rome with Respighi's La Fiamma conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti. Beside Italian theatres he collaborates with: the ROH Covent Garden, the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, the Teatro della Maestranza in Seville, the Washington Opera. He was awarded the Premio Abbiati (1997 and 2001) for the productions of Mascagni’s Iris at the Opera in Rome, Turandot in Macerata and Les Contes d'Hoffmann in Genoa. During last three years, he made a number of new productions: La Favorita in Chile, Medea in Turin, Aida in Padoa, Traviata in Maribor. His latest work has been Lehár's La Vedova Allegra in Padoa; La Traviata and Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Arena in Verona. He gained great success directing Senso for the opening night season 2011 at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo and with his Traviata and Barbiere di Siviglia at the Arena in Verona. In the last months of 2011 he directed: Boris Godunov in Santiago de Chile and Palermo; Simon Boccanegra in Bilbao; La Traviata in Maribor; Tosca in Tel Aviv; and Senso in Warsaw.

His future plans include La Traviata in Montecarlo, Madama Butterfly in Malta.