Italian bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni is gearing up for an exciting 2012-13 season, beginning with his European role debut as Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Opéra National de Paris, Sept. 15-Oct. 25, 2012.  He previously sang the role at the Houston Grand Opera in the spring of 2011 and had The Houston Chronicle raving, “With his dashing looks and proud manner, Pisaroni exudes complete authority and magnetism.  His potent bass-baritone unfurls with such grandeur and resoluteness that one can easily believe this is a fellow who has spent his entire life getting his way.”  Pisaroni will then go on to perform the role of Enrico VIII in Anna Bolena on tour with the Vienna State Opera in Japan (Oct. 27-Nov. 4) before touring with the English Concert under Harry Bicket to perform the role of Tiridate in Radamisto (Feb. 6-24).  

In March, Pisaroni will return to Philadelphia to sing Bach’s Matthäus Passion under Yannick Nézet-Séguin.  During his last visit to Philadelphia, Mr. Pisaroni sang Schumann’s Das Paradis und die Peri under Sir Simon Rattle.  Also in the spring, he will sing the role of Paolo for a recording of Simon Boccanegra for Universal, which will be recorded live at the “Great Voices” series at the Konzerthaus Vienna (Apr. 13, 17).  April will see Pisaroni return to Cleveland to perform Haydn’s Die Jahreszeiten with the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Franz Welser-Möst (Apr. 25-27).  This will be followed by Le Nozze di Figaro in Baden Baden in May, where Pisaroni will reprise the role of Figaro (May 17-26).  Then, in June, he will return to the Musikverein Wien to perform Bach’s cantatas under the direction of Nikolaus Harnoncourt (Jun. 8-9).