JONATHAN BRANDANI
CONDUCTOR
Jonathan Brandani is Artistic Director of Calgary Opera (Canada). A versatile opera and concert conductor, has been described a ‘revelation’ (Première Loge) and praised for his fine regard for the score’s details […] his clear, purposeful indications" and "his enthusiasm" (Seen and Heard International).
Recent engagements include appearances at the The Atlanta Opera (La Bohème), Opera Theatre of St. Louis (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Calgary Opera (Das Rheingold, Bluebeard’s Castle, Gianni Schicchi). Jonathan has also appeared in opera productions and concerts at the Bregenzer Festspiele in Austria (with the Wiener Symphoniker and the Symphonieorchester Voralberg), Orchestra del Teatro Lirico di Cagliari (Italy), Göteborg Opera (Sweden), Calgary Opera (with Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra), the Danish Royal Opera House Copenhagen (with soprano Angela Gheorghiu), Staatstheater Meiningen (with Meininger Hofkapelle). In recent seasons he has also conducted at Teatro Comunale di Bologna (Italy), Théatre Royal de Wallonie-Liège (Belgium), Orchestra Filarmonica Toscanini in Parma (Italy), Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf (Germany), Palau de les Arts in Valencia (Spain), Wexford Festival Opera (Ireland), Donizetti Festival in Bergamo (Italy).
In 2018 he made his debut at the Wexford Festival Opera (Ireland) conducting Mercadante’s Il Bravo (whose score he had previously restored and co-edited) His interpretation of this hidden Bel Canto gem was awarded as Best Opera Production by the Irish Times; the production is now available on demand on ARTE.
Between 2015 and 2019 Jonathan was Associate Conductor of Minnesota Opera, where he has conducted Tosca, La Bohème, Don Pasquale Il Cappello di paglia di Firenze.
His performances of Aida at the 15th Daegu International Opera Festival 2017 (South Korea) were hailed with such enthusiasm that they earned him the Grand Prix. Since then he has been a regular guest conductor of Daegu Opera House where he has conducted Il Trittico, Madama Butterfly, L’Elisir d’amore, La Traviata and Rigoletto.
Next engagements include, among others, Turandot at Florida Grand Opera, marking the centennial anniversary of Puccini’s masterwork, as well as productions of Madame Butterfly and Hänsel and Gretel at Calgary Opera (Canada).