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San Diego Opera Favorite Ferruccio Furlanetto Performs In Concert

Bass-baritone Eduardo Chama is Sancho Panza and bass Ferruccio Furlanetto is Don Quixote in San Diego Opera's "Don Quixote."
Ken Howard
Bass-baritone Eduardo Chama is Sancho Panza and bass Ferruccio Furlanetto is Don Quixote in San Diego Opera's "Don Quixote."

Italian bass will sing from favorite opera roles and more

Interview With Bass Ferruccio Furlanetto
GUESTS: Ferruccio Furlanetto, Bass Beth Accomando, KPBS Arts Reporter

San Diego Opera favorite Ferruccio Furlanetto returns to San Diego Opera for his first American concert on Saturday, March 5, at the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Music Center.

The Italian bass has performed in San Diego on numerous occasions but most recently was seen in "Don Quixote" in 2014, the year San Diego Opera had announced it was closing. That was an emotional time for the singer as he performed Verdi's Requiem on the day the closure was announced and then took to tilting at windmills on stage as Cervantes' errant knight.

It was during that tumultuous time that Furlanetto decided he wanted to do a concert to make people realize what they would be missing if opera went away.

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But San Diego Opera survived and the concert Furlanetto wanted to do has changed shape but finally arrives this weekend.

Furlanetto will be performing selections from his favorite opera roles as well as other pieces with full orchestra conducted by Maestro Emanuele Andrizzi.

You can view behind the scenes videos of two productions Furlanetto has been in with San Diego Opera: "Don Quixote" and "Murder in the Cathedral."

San Diego Opera's 'Don Quixote'
Preview: "Murder in the Cathedral"