FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 8, 2007

Contact: K.E. Schwab  -- 724-738-2199

 karl.schwab@sru.edu

World-renowned voice and opera coach visits campus

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Baritone Lorenzo Malfatti, internationally recognized voice and opera coach and professor emeritus at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music, will critique Slippery Rock University voice majors and offer a public master class Feb. 23.

           Malfatti was chief preparatory coach of the opera department and collaborated with Italo Tajo, leading basso of the Metropolitan Opera while at Cincinnati. He is associate artistic director of the Opera Theater of Lucca, Italy, at Teatro del Giglio.

           The baritone began his career at age 19 when chosen by Andre Kostelanetz and Lily Pons to perform on their Orient tour. He became a merit scholar at Julliard and was one of the first Fulbright Award recipients. In Italy, he studied at the Cherubini Conservatory, St. Cecilia Conservatory and Academy, and at the Academia Chigiana.

           Named the permanent baritone soloist of the Italian Swiss National Radio, he sang all of the major composers. His American debut was with the Tanglewood premiere of Aaron Copland’s “The Tender Land,” which led to his position as director of vocal activities at Chatham College and multiple appearances with the Pittsburgh Symphony.

           Malfatti, recognized as an expert in recitative, spends much of his time conducting master classes in Italian diction throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. He is co-founder and director of the Accademia Vocale in Lucca, Italy, where he has taken more than 1,000 students to study and was honored by the Italian government for his involvement. In addition, he prepares singers for debut performance at such leading opera houses as La Scala, the Metropolitan and Covent Garden.

           As part of his campus visit, Malfatti will hold individual sessions with a number of SRU voice majors during the morning.

           The free, 1:30 p.m. master class in the Swope Music Hall Choral Room will include student presentations by Deanna Wolfgong, a mezzo-soprano from Franklin, Bethany Nagy, a mezzo-soprano from Connellsville, Lauren Paterra, a soprano from Bentleyville, and Zachary Wood, a baritone from Waynesboro.

           Colleen Neubert, assistant professor of music, arranged the visit.

Slippery Rock University is Pennsylvania’s premier public residential university. Slippery Rock University provides students with a comprehensive learning experience that intentionally combines academic instruction with enhanced educational and learning opportunities that make a positive difference in their lives.

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