R. Abbado, Feature for DLR

Once again, the Metropolitan Opera has put together an international cast, which includes Ainhoa Arteta of Spain and Placido Domingo who was also born in Spain but grew up in Mexico. Each of the other main roles is sung by an artist from a different country. Mirella Freni is from Italy, pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet from France, and only Dwayne Croft is American. Since Fedora is an Italian opera, the orchestra is also playing under an Italian guest conductor. His name is Roberto Abbado, but he doesn't live in Italy. Being the chief conductor of the Munich Radio Orchestra, he has found a domicile in Germany. Roberto Abbado is following in the foot steps of his uncle Claudio Abbado who, as the artistic director of the Berlin Philharmonic, has made his home in Berlin for the past eight years. For now, Claudio Abbado has probably a higher name recognition. However, his nephew Roberto has conducted more often at the Met, and, having dreamed of becoming an aeronautical engineer when he has a child, he is used to aiming high, as Georg Hirsch reports.

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