An Evening with Rossini: The Barber of Seville Comes to Belfast

Zarrelli il mercoledì, 18 Febbraio, 2026

What a memorable evening last night at the Belfast Grand Opera House for The Barber of Seville, presented by Lyric Opera Ireland in partnership with the Grand Opera House, with the wonderful support of the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Edimburgo!

As Honorary Consular Correspondent, it was a true honour and a pleasure to attend such a remarkable cultural event, together with Federica Ferrieri. A heartfelt thank you to Stefano De Angelis, the newly appointed Director of the Italian Institute of Culture in Edinburgh, whose presence from the very outset of his tenure speaks volumes about his commitment to promoting Italian culture across the region.

And it was truly thrilling to meet Vivian J. Coates, Artistic Director of Lyric Opera Ireland, and his husband at the end of the performance, both wonderful people whose warmth and passion for music are simply infectious.

Evenings like this remind us of the extraordinary power of Italian culture to bring people together and inspire.

Stories beyond borders

Giorgio Zarrelli il venerdì, 27 Settembre, 2024

What an afternoon, speaking of the unspeakable—words lost in translation between different cultures, different worlds. Words that long to be inscribed on pages, carrying with them the history and traditions of the universe they belong to. And the passion that sweeps you away when writing, creating a bridge between devotion and everyday practice.

Thank you, Laura Imai Messina, for sharing your precious words with us. Thank you, Federica Ferrieri, for going above and beyond to organize this event. And thanks to everyone who participated and shared their thoughts.