Lina de la Torre

Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis of Assisi, is a picturesque town in the province of Perugia within the region of Umbria.  The stunning Basilica di San Francesco d’Assisi crowns the top of the hill and dominates the landscape of …

The Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI) held an event called the FAI Marathon on Sunday October 18th. The event is a unique kind of ‘cultural marathon’ to be experienced by the participant as a self-guided tour of discovery of the sights …

Why has Madame Butterfly endured within the modern opera repertory and become a favorite of audiences throughout the world? One reason might be that the immensity of the tragedy carries audiences to new emotional depths. The story of an innocent …

The dynamic and talented Speranza Scappucci was in Los Angeles preparing for her West Coast debut as a conductor for the LA Opera production of La bohème recently. She brings to that production her diverse international experience, derived from an …

You may not have heard of Le comte Ory (Count Ory) by Gioacchino Rossini.  Don’t feel too badly if you are unfamiliar with this work; many seasoned opera-goers have not yet seen it.  Count Ory was the penultimate opera that …

What better theme could there be for an opera than the intense rivalry for the English throne between the two real-life queens: Mary, Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I of England? It is hard to imagine a more compelling …

There was a lull in the city of Perugia during the week leading up to the Umbria Jazz 2016 festival before the jazz fans arrive and fill the city to the brim.  A few scattered tourists milled around the Piazza …

Looking for a new city to add to your itinerary on your next visit to Italy?  Turin has a lot to offer.    Turin is one of the more prominent cities of Italy but is relatively undiscovered by tourists. It …

Seattle Opera is presenting a bold production of the Marriage of Figaro set against a backdrop of mobile modern sets that help visually illustrate the events within the complicated and twisted plot.  The audience is treated to a series of …

Having completed the first phase of the restoration of the buildings and the historic rural landscape in June of 2016,  with the support of Fondazione Zegna, FAI – Fondo Ambiente Italiano (the National Trust for Italy) is proud to open …