Nicola Alaimo _{bass-baritone;} Carlo Rizzi _piano; Hetty Snell _cello

Praised internationally for his commanding stage presence and vocal artistry, Italian bass-baritone Nicola Alaimo makes a welcome appearance at Wigmore Hall in a programme that brings together the wit, elegance and lyricism of early 19th-century Italian song.

Joined by pianist and Opera Rara’s Artistic Director Carlo Rizzi, with appearances by cellist Hetty Snell, Alaimo explores the rarely heard world of Donizetti’s solo songs alongside works by Rossini, Bellini and Mercadante. The recital highlights the ingenuity and invention of composers best known for their operatic triumphs, yet whose songs are often neglected.

Presented as part of Opera Rara’s multi-year Donizetti Song Project, this final recital in the Donizetti & Friends series continues the company’s mission to bring nearly 200 of Donizetti’s forgotten solo songs to modern audiences. Through new editions, live performances, and a landmark series of recordings, the project redefines our understanding of Donizetti’s compositional achievements, placing him among the foremost song composers of his century.