George Gagnidze sings at Sassi di Matera UNESCO site in ‘Cavalleria Rusticana’

Georgian opera singer George Gagnidze is enjoying the stage at Sassi di Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Italy's south-east, in a bill of Cavalleria Rusticana.

Within the unique landscape of the city of Matera, a 2019 European Capital of Culture, the baritone is joining a cast involving Veronica Simeoni, Roberto Aronica, Agostina Smimmero and Leyla Martinucci for a bespoke project of presenting Pietro Mascagni’s 1890 classic.

Co-produced by the Matera Basilicata 2019 Foundation and Teatro di San Carlo, the Cavalleria Rusticana staging is directed by Giorgio Barberio Corsetti and involves two performances at the cultural heritage location.

The two-day bill is split by themes, with a prologue titled The Seven Capitalist Sins presenting short pieces inspired by The Seven Deadly Sins of Christian teachings and portraying the "excesses of contemporary neoliberalism".

Gagnidze has received critical acclaim for his performances as Alfio in 'Cavalleria Rusticana'. Photo: Luciano Romano.

The second part of the show will unleash the staging of Mascagni's work to opera-goers attending the event.

Saturday's performance of the opera, which takes Sicily as the location for its plot, will be broadcast internationally through television, highlighting the coming-together of the unique location and the popular production.

Within the project Gagnidze finds himself at the UNESCO site, recognised as one of the earliest locations of human habitation on the territory of Italy.

The baritone is cast in the staging to offer a rendition of Alfio, a role familiar to him. Only last month, the Georgian singer was involved in Cavalleria Rusticana bills at Teatro San Carlo in Naples, in a production by Pippo Delbono.