A seven-figure gift has provided the base for Opera Naples, Theater in the Garden and the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation to build an international center for the arts, the group announced Jan. 14.
The organizations said the location won’t be disclosed until negotiations for the land are official. The donor requested anonymity, and the opera didn’t disclose the amount of the donation, only that it is seven figures, at this time.
Discussions for a multiuse center began in November 2023, when Nicoletta Pavarotti, president of the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation, accepted an invitation to create a U.S. home for her organization on the land. According to the organizations, it is planned to be a multipurpose space designed to honor the legacy of the world-famous tenor while also filling the need for such a multiuse facility in Naples.
The property is planned to contain a 900-seat state-of-the-art indoor theater, an outdoor amphitheater, an opera museum, The Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples International Voice Competition and an opera-themed restaurant. It will be the first foundation location outside Modena, Italy.
“I am beyond grateful to our anonymous donor for guaranteeing the funding to purchase the land for our grand vision,” Nicoletta Pavarotti said in a news release announcing the gift.
“The Luciano Pavarotti Foundation has greatly enjoyed our partnership with Opera Naples over this past year, including our exciting performances happening this weekend of Don Pasquale and our International Voice Competition. We believe we have tremendous momentum started as our partnership continues to blossom, and we can all dream together with Theater in the Garden about the artistic greatness we will achieve in the years to come.”
“I’m thrilled,” said Livio Ferrari, director of the Theater in the Garden project. “We’re finally making reality a dream this community has had for so long.”
Two of the organizations have already collaborated to create the Luciano Pavarotti Opera Naples International Vocal Competition, which will bring to its finals Jan. 18 eight competitors from among nearly 400 who applied. The finals are at 2 p.m. in the U. Tobe Recital Hall at Florida Gulf Coast University.
