Accademia dell'Opera Italiana & Amber Trust: A Celebration of American Music

Conway Hall presents a night where music transcends boundaries, with Accademia dell’Opera and Amber Trust.

Opera, jazz, and Broadway come together in a powerful celebration of music without limits. This charity fundraising concert draws a compelling connection between the impossible loves of Porgy and Bess and West Side Story with the timeless heartbreak of Italian opera—from I Capuleti e i Montecchi to La Traviata, Un Ballo in Maschera, and Andrea Chénier.

Accademia dell’Opera (AOI) founder Massimo Modoni will take the stage alongside Brian Hughes and the rising stars of AOI, performing with Amber Trust artists, whose talent shines brightly in every note. Hughes will also bring the golden age of American music to life with dazzling New York big band classics from the ‘40s and ‘50s, bridging operatic grandeur with the energy of modern performance.

The evening will also feature an unforgettable performance by Derek Paravicini, the celebrated jazz pianist whose remarkable musical abilities and spontaneous improvisations have earned him international acclaim. Paravicini’s performances are a testament to the transformative power of music and its ability to inspire, regardless of circumstance.

Featuring:

Nadiia Chaichenko • mezzo soprano

Brian Hughes • piano

Valerija Iljin • soprano

Massimo Modoni • baritone

Derek Paravicini • piano

Chapman Shum • piano

Programme:

Amazing Grace, Spiritual

Giacomo Puccini | “In quelle trine morbide” from Manon Lescaut

Paolo Tosti | Ideale

Sergei Prokofiev | “No 2. Scene” and “No. 8 Mercutio” from Romeo and Juliet

George Gershwin | “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess

George Gershwin | “The Man I Love” from Lady Be Good

Gian Carlo Menotti | “Lullaby” from The Consul

Leonard Bernstein | “I Feel Pretty” from West Side Story

Abram Chasins | Rush Hour in Hong Kong

John Kander | “Maybe This Time” from Cabaret

John Kander | “Life Is A Cabaret!” from Cabaret

INTERVAL

Derek Paravicini | Improvisations and Requests

Giacomo Puccini | “Minnie” from Fanciulla del West

Giuseppe Verdi | “Di Provenza il mar, il suol” from La Traviata

Ethyl Smith | “Pierrot’s aria” from Fete Galante

Umberto Giordano | “Nemico della patria” from Andrea Chénier

Paul Anka | “My Way”

John Kander | “New York, New York”

This event is more than just a concert—it’s a testament to the power of music to break barriers. Amber Trust supports musicians with visual impairments in pursuing their artistic passions, while AOI offers world-class opera training to the most promising talents, regardless of their financial or social backgrounds.

Prepare for an evening of passion, drama, and musical excellence—where tradition meets innovation, and art unites us all.

The Amber Trust is a charity founded in 1995 with the aim to provide blind and partially sighted children, including those with additional disabilities, the best possible chance to meet their musical needs and aspirations. It has grown to become the only national charity dedicated to supporting vision impaired children with their musical development and education. Find out more here.

Join us for a luminous midday celebration of operatic excellence presented by the Accademia dell’Opera Italiana in partnership with ConwayHall. Baritone and founder Massimo Modoni, together with pianist and co-founder Brian Hughes, return to the stage of Conway Hall with a sweeping programme of Italian operatic masterpieces. From Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, Don Carlo, La Traviata and Otello, to the raw verismo of Puccini, Giordano, Mascagni, and Leoncavallo — this gala traverses the full emotional and stylistic range of the Italian baritone tradition.

✨ Featuring AOI Young Artists:

Two of AOI’s 2025 Young Artists, Daria Moskaliuk (soprano) and Nadiia Chaichenko (mezzo-soprano), will present a selection of Italian and French arias and duets, exploring the intricate musical relationship between soprano and mezzo voices — from tenderness to tension, from rivalry to resolution.