Does he ever unpack...

The last time I caught up with tenor James Valenti was at a wedding we both attended this past August. We had just a few minutes alone and I asked him about his La Scala debut in June as Rodolfo in La boheme. A La scala debut is a high point in any career, but doing it around an Italian workers’ strike had to have been daunting!

He said that it wasn’t all that bad working between strikes, he was thrilled to be there, but was looking ahead to future performances. When I pulled up his schedule I was amazed to see just how busy he was. Work is good, but here’s hoping that he finds some time to relax.

In September Mr. Valenti was in Japan to sing Rodolfo in La boheme, October found him at Opera Carolina as the title character in Faust. He was also a guest soloist at the New Jersey Opera Gala on October 8, which meant he probably stopped home to see his family, who live in that area.

You can still catch him (if you run fast) as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly for Michigan Opera Theater opening November 19. A quick weekend in Norway to sing the Verdi Requiem with the Bergen Philharmonic on November 26, then back to sunny weather with Palm Beach Opera as the Duke in Rigoletto opening on December 12. Last but not least is Rodolfo in La boheme with Dallas Opera opening February 13, 2009.

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[Roger Kaiser]

where he will be dining at Luckys Cafe just about every day... or else.