Opera Rəimagined

L.v. Beethoven - 7 Variations on the theme “Bei Männern welche Liebe fühlen” from the Magic Flute

G. Rossini, arr. Sonas Duo - Una voce poco fa from the “Barber of Seville”

G. Verdi, arr. Sonas Duo - Concert duo on themes from “Traviata”

G. Gershwin, arr. Sonas Duo - Suite from “Porgy and Bess”

M. Castelnuovo Tedesco / G. Rossini - Figaro

Davide Forti, cello, and Francesca De Nardi, piano, met at the end of 2015 during their postgraduate studies at the "Conservatorio G. Tartini" (Trieste, Italy). From that moment on they performed in numerous concerts in Italy and Ireland, studying with internationally renowned musicians such as Daniel Rowland, Trio di Parma, Maja Bogdanovic, RTÉ ConTempo Quartet. Established in Ireland, they have been awarded many prizes, such as the 1st prize at the Feis Ceoil 2021 (Elsner Memorial Cup), the 2nd prize at LAMS Matera Competition 2020 and the 1st prize at the IMKA International Music Competition 2019. "Sonas" is a tribute to the land that hosted them: it means "happiness" in Gaelic, but it also recalls the Latin verb "sonare", combining their love for music in a single concept.

Davide Forti was born in 1993 in Trieste, where he attended the "Conservatorio G. Tartini", attaining a Master’s Degree in Cello in 2017 with full marks. In June 2019 he received the title of Recital Artist (First Class Honours) at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, under the guidance of William Butt. He has attended numerous masterclasses with T. Carroll, J. Arp, M. Bogdanovic, E. Bronzi, G. Gnocchi, E. Dindo. In 2014 he attended the annual chamber music masterclass at the "International Chamber Music Academy" in Duino (Trieste) with Trio di Parma. He has distinguished himself in numerous national and international competitions, winning among the others a First and a Second Prize at the Feis Ceoil 2021 in the solo categories (Clyde Twelvetrees Cup - Cello Concerto Competition and Senior Cello), the Second Prize at the ProCello

International Competition (2021), in 2019 the Second Prize at the Feis Ceoil and the scholarship "Fano" at the Venice Music Master, and the third prize at the "Lilian Caraian” competition (2013). He currently plays with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and teaches cello for Music Generation Louth.

Francesca De Nardi was born in 1991 in Trieste. Coming from a musical family - her dad was a pianist, organist and choir conductor and taught her during the first years - she graduated in piano in 2012 with full marks at the "Conservatorio G. Tartini" (Trieste, Italy), then continuing her studies with Lance Coburn at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, focusing on the chamber repertoire. As achild she also started learning the violin, eventually graduating in 2017 from the same conservatory. In 2019 she attained her Master’s in Violin with Karl Sweeney at RIAM. She attended masterclasses with A. Miodini, N. Kudritskaya, D. Rowland, M. Milstein, Trio di Parma.

In 2015, she also got a Master’s Degree in Medical Biotechnology from the University of Udine (Udine, Italy) with full marks and honors, before devoting herself entirely to the musical career. She currently carries out an intense activity as accompanist and chamber musician and collaborates as a violinist with various orchestras and chamber groups, such as the Fishamble Sinfonia and the Orchestra of the Irish National Youth Ballet. She teaches violin and piano for Music Generation Louth and at the Dundalk Institute of Technology.