Mr.Griglio will conduct the world premiere of Buffalo Soldier. The opera will be presented as a preview in Philadelphia, USA,  and premiered in Italy in august 2012.

Inspired by the documentary film "Inside Buffalo" by Fred Kuwornu, the opera is after a true story: the experience of the 92nd infantry division of the United States army in Italy during the WWII.

Presented in collaboration with the National Constitution Center and the Italian Consulate in Philadelphia, the music is by famous italian composer Carlo Pedini. The partisan parts will be sung in italian while the parts of the amrican soldiers will be sung in english.

The production is by International Opera Theater.

A dramatic combination of gospel, opera, movement, poetry and spirituals, The Heart of a Hero tells the little known stories of minority posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor recipients: First Lieutenant John R. Fox of the 92nd Infantry Division, Private First Class David M. Gonzales of the 32nd Infantry Division and Combat Medic James K. Okubo of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

The performance will feature historically documented text by Karen Saillant, artistic director of International Opera Theater.  Music for The Heart of a Hero is written by three distinguished international composers: Carlo Pedini of Italy, Pierre Thilloy of France and Von De Guzman of the Philippines.

Click here to go to National Constitution Center announcement and here for the National Constitution Center website.

M°Griglio and Karen Saillant interviewed by Katie Baltrush for Opera America.

OPERA America is dedicated to supporting the creation, presentation and enjoyment of opera.

http://www.operaamerica.org/

M°Griglio will be a guest on the Indie Opera podcast.

The driving force of opera is in small opera companies with independent producers. Indie Opera is the place to go to for news about where opera is headed, in companies that are creating new operas and who are presenting the classics in new ways for wider audiences.

http://indieopera.com