Lado Ataneli - 30 Years on the World Opera Stages

On October 30, at 19:00, the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theater is to host unforgettable evening of the acclaimed Georgian baritone Lado Ataneli - 30 Years on the World Opera Stages.

The program covers the fourth act from Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto and the first act from opera Macbeth. Apart from Lado Ataneli in the concert will participate Nino Surguladze, Marika Machitidze, Khatuna Chokhonelidze, Shalva Mukeria, Armaz Darashvili, Gocha Datusani, Irina Sherazadishvili, Philipe Ghatchava, Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theater Chorus and Orchestra, while Conductor Zaza Azmaiparashvili will lead the evening.

Lado Ataneli made his debut at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theater in 1989 with the role of Renato in Verdi's opera Un Ballo in Maschera. Ataneli is the Grand Prix winner of the I. Chestel and Belvedere International Singing Competition. Since 1996, he has performed successfully on the world's famous opera stages - New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Milan, Zurich, Geneva, Munich, Washington, Tokyo, etc. The Georgian baritone is acknowledged as one of the best performers of Verdi, Puccini, Giordano, Leoncavallo, Mascagni and Massenet operas. His repertoire consists of more than 40 operas, including roles of Scarpia, Gerard, Tonio, Iago, Macbeth, Nabucco, Rigoletto, Barnaba, etc.

In 2003, EMI Classics recorded Ponchielli's opera La Gioconda, where Lado Ataneli performed Barnabas' most rigorous part together with Placido Domingo. In 2005, he released his first solo album called “Opera Arias”, followed by his next CD “Baritone Arias” in 2009. Among his DVD recordings should be mentioned Verdi's Othello, Massenet's Thais, Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades. In 2009, Lado Ataneli founded the charity fund “Tanadgoma”, which aims to help young talented singers and pave the way for their international triumph.

Lado Ataneli Singers Competition has been held since 2010. Ataneli was awarded the Shota Rustaveli State Prize and the Gold Medal in 2011. In the same year, he was recognized by the Georgian Writers' Union as a "Knight of Kindness." In 2012, he was awarded the Order of Excellence. In 2017, he was named as honorary citizen of Tbilisi. The same year, Ataneli’s star opening ceremony was held in front of the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theater.

Music critics have dubbed Lado Ataneli “the Golden Voice from Georgia” and “100 Carat Diamond.”

“Italian music is like a catalyst for his voice that brings the best out of him,” emphasizes an article in the Orpheus magazine, which also claims that Lado Ataneli’s voice puts out 355 horsepower.