Giulio Biddau & Anna Fraser A concert for voice and piano

PIANIST GIULIO BIDDAU’S AUSTRALIAN TOUR

The Italian Cultural Institute of Sydney is pleased to support the Australian Tour of the Sardinian-born pianist Giulio Biddau, who returns to Australia after the series of performances in 2019.

Biddau's Australian agenda includes a conference on Scarlatti's Piano-Rolls from 26 to 28 July at the Sydney Conservatorium where he will return on 5 August for a Masterclass. Organized by the European Union Representation in the state capital, he will perform at the Canberra International Music Festival in August.

For the Italian Cultural Institute Giulio Biddau will perform on August 1st at the York Street premises in a recital which will see the participation of the Australian Soprano Anna Fraser, with a repertoire that will include music by D. Scarlatti, A. Casella, G. Fauré, R. Hahn and F.P. Tosti.

Giulio Biddau began studying piano at the Conservatorium of his hometown. He continued his piano studies in Paris with Jean-Marc Luisada, Dominique Merlet and Aldo Ciccolini, later perfecting himself in Rome at the Accademia S. Cecilia and in Berlin at the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler”. Among the competition prizes are those at the Casagrande in Terni, Tbilisi International Piano Competition, Iturbi in Valencia and “Les Nuits Pianistiques – Lauréats SPEDIDAM” in Aix-en-Provence. Biddau has held numerous concerts, playing in prestigious halls such as the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, the Salle Cortot in Paris, the Grand Theater in Aix-en-Provence, the Palau de la Musica in Valencia, the Konzerthaus in Berlin, the 'Oriental Art Center in Shanghai, the CCK in Buenos Aires. He has always coupled his solo activity with chamber music, joining prestigious singers and instrumentalists, including the mezzo-soprano Monica Bacelli and violinist Anna Tifu. His discography includes the complete Barcarole by Gabriel Fauré (2012 – Aparté), Ottorino Respighi's work for piano four hands, recorded together with Norberto Cordisco Respighi (2017 – Évidence) and, in 2022, the critical edition of the piano sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti.

Anna Fraser has earned a reputation as a versatile soprano specializing predominantly in the interpretation of ancient and contemporary repertoire, performing in myriad traditional and exploratory programs skillfully demonstrating the versatility and virtuosity of a cappella singing. She graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, the New England Conservatorium (Boston) and furthered her studies in the Britten-Pears Young Artist Program. Equipped with a solid historical background, Fraser is equally at ease as a lecturer capable of discussing operas and chamber music, which makes her a sought-after teacher and mentor to young singers with the Moorambilla Voices, Gondwana Choirs and various program studies and school choirs. She performs regularly with numerous professional Australian ensembles such as Bach Akadamie Australia, Australian Haydn Ensemble, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, Ensemble Offspring and Vocal Detour, to name a few. With Pinchgut Opera, Fraser has been performing since 2004 with important roles in productions of Orfeo, Dardanus, Ormindo, Castor et Pollux and Médée. She recently premiered Mary Finsterer's acclaimed opera Antarctica, an international collaboration with SCO and Asko|Schönberg at the Holland Festival in 2022, with performances at the Sydney Festival in 2023.