Katia Ricciarelli warms then hearts of the KFOR soldiers

[Inside KFOR]

KFOR Chronicle, July 31, 2006

Katia Ricciarelli, Italian worldwide known opera singer performed

together with gifted Spanish and Italian KFOR members in

Djakovica/Gjakove on July 18.

The concert was held at "The Asim Vokshi" Cultural Hall, while the hall was overfilled with KFOR soldiers of different nationalities and representatives of local community. COMKFOR, Lt. General Giuseppe Valotto attended the event.

The concert began with performances by local Latino dancers and continued with a great welcome given to Katia Ricciarelli as she appealed at the stage.

Maj. Fernando Ensenat, Spanish Army enjoyed singing duet with the Italian soprano. Their artistic performance caused a storm of applause from opera admirers. Maj. Ensenat, working for J5 SO PLANS, KFOR HQ now, has been studying music and singing since he was 15 years old.

He gives several concerts per year in Spain along with his professional military service in the Spanish Armed Forces. "As a matter of fact", said Maj. Ensenat, "I am a great admirer of Katia Ricciarelli. The very first CD with opera I bought 20 years ago was with Katia Ricciarelli and Placido Domingo. The opportunity to sing with Katia Ricciarelli given to me is amazing."

Another man of talent, Danilo Grimieri, OR-9, Chief Graphic, KFOR HQ from Italy took part in the concert and performed a number of songs.

After the concert, General Valotto sincerely thanked Katia Ricciarelli and all the participants for the great pleasure given to KFOR soldiers. Municipal Head of Djakovica/Gjakove presented the Italian soprano with a Mother Teresa portrait.

Katia Ricciarelli was born on January 16, 1946, in Rovigo, Italy. She trained at the Benedict Marcello conservatory in Venice, won several vocal competitions in 1968, and made her professional debut as "Mimi" in "La Bohème" in Mantua in 1969, followed by a 1970 appearance in "Il trovatore" in Parma. In the following year, she won RAI's "Voci Verdiane" award. Between 1972 and 1975, engagements followed in the major European and American opera houses including Lyric Opera of Chicago (1972); La Scala (1973); Royal Opera House Covent Garden (1974); and the Metropolitan Opera in 1975. In 1981, she began a decade-long association with the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, thus broadening her repertoire of Rossini's operas.

Beside her many opera performances, she also appeared as Desdemona in Franco Zeffirelli's film version of Verdi's "Otello" in 1986 alongside Placido Domingo and in "La seconda notte di nozze" (The second night of the wedding), Pupi Avati, 2005.