LOS ANGELES CELEBRATES TWO HUNDERED YEARS OF VERDI
(September 2013)
The Fonderia Artistica Ferdinando Marinelli exhibits a bust at the Los Angeles Opera.
In a few days, the bust executed by the Marinelli Foundry will be exhibited at the Los Angeles Opera on the occasion of the bicentenary of Giuseppe Verdi.
2013 is not only ‘The Year of Italian Culture in the U.S.A.” but also the bicentenary of the birth of one of Italy’s greatest artists, Giuseppe Verdi. The Fonderia Artistica Ferdinando Marinelli wishes to celebrate this occasion by entrusting one of its artists, the sculptor Eleonora Villani, to create a bust of the world famous musician.
The bust, cast in bronze using the traditional lost-wax technique, will be exhibited by the Fonderia Marinelli at the Los Angeles Opera which celebrates Verdi’s bicentenary by staging his opera ‘Falstaff’ from November 9 to December 1. Lee Blakeley directs the production and the Italian baritone Roberto Frontali sings the role of Sir John Falstaff.
“We worked in record time”, said Ferdinando Marinelli,” to make this sculpture. The modeling began in April and by the end of June the patina had been applied (n.b. the application of patina is the final stage of bronzing). The reception in the United States during ‘The Year of Italian Culture in the United States’ has truly been effusive and it was important to us, on behalf of our country, to realize the Verdi bust for the Los
Angeles Opera. A special expression of thanks is due to the artist Eleonora Villani who executed a perfect likeness of the great Maestro based only on a few photographs”.
See the unveiling Video
See the Master James Conlon commendation letter
See the Director Marlinda Menashe commendation letter