Teatro Regio extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of Antonino Fogliani, who has passed away at the age of just 50 after a serious illness. Born in Messina on 29 June 1976, the conductor appeared at the Regio last January in Rossini’s La Cenerentola. Rossini was a central figure throughout his artistic career, from his studies at the Bologna Conservatory with Vittorio Parisi and his advanced training at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena with Gianluigi Gelmetti, Franco Donatoni and Ennio Morricone, to his professional career, which began when he was just twenty-five with his debut at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro in 2001.
Music Director of the Rossini in Wildbad Festival since 2012, he had been Principal Guest Conductor of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein since 2017 and, from 2021, had taught conducting at the “Alessandro Scarlatti” Conservatory in Palermo. In 2018, Sergio Mattarella appointed him an Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
His passion, sensitivity and expertise in the bel canto repertoire — both its cornerstone works and many lesser-known operas — led him to conduct at some of Europe’s leading opera houses. We will deeply miss his exceptional artistry and his warm humanity.
Direttore musicale del festival Rossini in Wildbad dal 2012, dal 2017 era Principal Guest Conductor della Deutsche Oper am Rhein, mentre dal 2021 insegnava direzione d’orchestra al Conservatorio “Alessandro Scarlatti” di Palermo. Nel 2018 aveva ricevuto da Sergio Mattarella il titolo di Ufficiale dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana.
La sua passione, la sua sensibilità e la sua competenza nell'affrontare il repertorio belcantistico, nei titoli di riferimento così come in molte opere di nicchia, lo avevano portato a dirigere nei più grandi teatri d'Europa. Rimpiangeremo le sue rare capacità e la sua umanità così cordiale.