GIUSEPPE CATALDO
– Honorary Professor of Orchestra and Conducting

Giuseppe Cataldo was born in Palermo, Italy. He is the new Artistic Director of the International Festival “Settimana di Musica Sacra” of Monreale (Palermo), 54th edition. About Him … “Palm Beach Opera’s mounting of Puccini’s tragic love story presented one of the most successful opera productions South Florida has seen in the past two years. Conductor Giuseppe Cataldo led a terrific performance. Eliciting vital playing of great convintion, Cataldo paced the score masterfully, letting details emerge cleanly, while building climaxes superbly, as with his skilful handling of the surging waves of love duet”. (By Lawrence A. Johnson from OperaNews and Sun-Sentinel South Florida)

He has held the position of Artistic Director of The Sicilian Symphonic Orchestra for the years 1998-2001 and 2008-2009. Among his great and experienced career accomplishments, we need to highlight his service as Music Advisor and Artistic Director for all cultural activities of Palermo during the 2001 season. He coordinated one of the most important and successful Italian Festival organized by the Arts Department of the Town council of Palermo from 10th of August to 14th of October 2001, the VI edition of “Palermo di Scena 2001″ (“Palermo on Stage”), counting 360 events on Music, Dance, Theatre and Cinema.

Appreciated as a conductor of operatic and symphonic literature, both in Italy and abroad, he has conducted the following reknown orchestras: Munchner Symphoniker, Israel Symphony Orchestra, Prague Philarmonic Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Sicilian Symphonic Orchestra, Hamilton Philarmonic Orchestra, Thessalonik Symphony Orchestra, Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, Kosice Philharmonic Orchestra, Radio Bratislava Symphony Orchestra, Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Aachen Symphony Orchestra, Mexico State’s Symphony Orchestra, Izmir Symphony Orchestra, Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, Hradex Kralovè Philarmonic Orchestra, Mexico City’s Bellas Artes Symphony Orchestra, Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, and others.

He has been invited as guest conductor from the West Palm Beach Opera House, the Massimo Bellini Opera Theatre of Catania, the Prague’s State Opera, the Brasilia’s National Opera Theatre, the Cordoba’s Opera Theatre etc.. In Italy he has worked as guest conductor for The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Theatre, The International Piano Festival “Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli” of Bergamo and Brescia, The Sicilian Symphonic Orchestra, The Symphonyc Orchestras of Sanremo, The Orchestra of the European Symphonyc Institution of The Tivoli Festival, The Symphonyc Orchestra of Emilia Romagna Festival, The Symphonic Orchestra of Rome, The Italian Young Orchestra and others.

His studies include composition, choral conducting, symphonic-operating conducting and percussion instruments. Since 1990 he has held the position of Music Professor for The Conservatory of Music “V. Bellini” of Palermo. While not neglecting the French, German and Russian repertory, Maestro Cataldo’s emphasis is meanly on Italian opera: Rossigni, Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini. In recent seasons he has also led the National Opera Theatre of Brasilia conducting “ALZIRA” by Verdi , the State Opera Theatre of Prague opening the Verdi’s Festival conducting “AIDA” , the Cordoba Opera,s Theatre conducting “TRAVIATA” and Palm Beach Opera,s Theatre conducting “MADAMA BUTTERFLY”. Since 1990 he has held the position of Music Professor for The Conservatory of Music “V. Bellini” of Palermo.