Traetta Opera Festival was born in 2005 under the aegis of the Region of Apulia and the City of Bitonto, with the intention of rediscovering and appreciating the musician Tommaso Traetta from Bitonto, considered by a great number of critics to be the real innovator of the modern melodrama.

 

EVENTS

In each edition over 50 events take place: concerts, stagings, musical productions and presentations. Among them, many world premières and first modern performances with a focus on yesterday’s and today’s Apulian authors. Stage of choice is the municipal theatre Tommaso Traetta and the whole city of Bitonto with its cathedral and historical buildings.

DISCOVERING TRAETTA

The project aimed to rediscover the works of Tommaso Traetta originates from the mapping of his manuscripts which are kept both in the most famous as well as in the most hidden libraries of the world. This tireless research has already allowed the acquisition and the review of numerous operas and sacred works. Thanks to the cooperation of Idea Graphics (USA) and DiGressione Music, Tommaso Traetta is now becoming more and more known through publications and recordings with international distribution.

 

COMPETITIONS

The International Singing Competition “Tommaso Traetta”, now at its VI edition, has seen among its winners great singers (including the soprano Maria Agresta and the mezzosoprano Veronica Simeoni) and young talents, now involved in renowned international projects. Two new contests have recently been introduced: the Children’s Choir Competition “Caffarelli” and the Composition Competiton for children’s choir.

 

TRAETTA INTERNATIONAL

International tours and collaborations allow the TOF to pursue its goals.
The well-established twinning with Japan has led to the AmiFest and the Japan Apulia Festival, an important event organized by the Tokyo Musica Association with Konomi Suzaki as president, supported by the Italian Cultural Institute in Tokyo and the Italian Embassy.
The TOF takes place not only in the Land of the Rising Sun, but also in Spain (National Auditorium of Music in Madrid) and in the United States, where – next to the editorial partnership with Idea Graphic USA – well-known universities (including Harvard and Boston) have recently sent invitations in the name of Filippo Trajetta.

 

TRAETTA FOR YOUTH

The TOF pays particular attention to younger students. The “Caffarelli” Children’s Choir offers free choral musical education to young singers and allows them to take part or be protagonists in various productions of the Festival. Trainings and specific production experiences are instead dedicated to the students of the state conservatories in Apulia and Matera who each year play a different work by Traetta. They are also entitled to scholarships and collaborations with ensembles and orchestras.