Celebrating Opera at CSUN on the 125th Anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi’s Passing.

On March 10, 2026, the College of Humanities’ Department of Modern and Classical Language and Literatures—Italian Studies Program, in partnership with The Soraya, the Italian Opera LAb, and the Opera Festival of Chicago, presented The Art of Italian Opera Singing and UNESCO: a panel conversation and live performance commemorating the125th Anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi’s Passing.

This multidisciplinary project was organized as an academic/educational opportunity to highlight the importance of Opera to language and culture acquisition, to promote CSUN’s Italian Studies Program, and to cultivate the potential for continued cross-disciplinary collaborations.

Elisabetta Russo, the Artistic Director and Founder of the Italian Opera LAb, along with Professor Patrizia Miller, Special Projects and Italian Studies Program, and Thor Steingraber, the Artistic/Executive Director of The Soraya, spearheaded a lively conversation highlighting the significance of the Italian language in the world of opera. Their dialogue explored how Italian has shaped operatic expression and contributed to the genre’s extraordinary international resonance, as well as the ways in which Italian opera has served as a dynamic ambassador of Italy’s culture, traditions, and aesthetic heritage across the globe.

Miss Russo further discussed the recent inclusion of the art of Italian opera singing in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, offering valuable details into the nomination process and the cultural motivations that led to its international recognition. She reflected on her personal early involvement in promoting the candidacy, sharing the origins of this long-standing commitment and its significance within the broader effort to preserve and celebrate Italy’s artistic legacy.

The event also featured a brief performance by two participants from the Italian Opera LAb Masterclass, which officially began with the CSUN Event and concluded on March 13th in Santa Monica.

In celebration of the 125th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi’s death. Accompanied by maestro Christopher Maldonado, the singers performed

• De’ miei bollenti spiriti (La Traviata) – sung by tenor Caleb Alexander

• Caro nome (Rigoletto) – sung by soprano Veronica Robinson

Following the performances, conductor Emanuele Andrizzi and stage director Sasha Gerritson shared their reflections and interpretation of ’ lo stile di Verdi’, offering insights into the interplay between music, language, and the Traviata and Rigoletto librettos.

The finale of the event featured a screening of the film trailer VIVA VERDI! which received a Best Original Score nomination at the 98th Academy Awards. The screening was followed by a review by James Tumminia, Executive producer of the film, who shared insights into his experience working on the film, including his visit to Casa Verdi in Milan, his encounters with its residents, and the ways in which the film’s subject matter has shaped his own perspective while resonating deeply with audiences. The trailer can be accessed at the link HERE.

The event was an overwhelming success. In attendance were Dr. Raffaella Valentini, Consul General of Italy, Dr. Kent Baxter, Interim Dean of the College of Humanities, Dr. Dan Hosken, Dean of the College of Arts, Media, and Communication, Dr. Adrian Perez-Boluda, Chair MCLL, administrators, faculty, staff, students representing various CSUN disciplines, philanthropists, and Soraya Ambassadors.