Met Opera baritone George Gagnidze to perform in benefit concert Oct. 6

WARWICK — Metropolitan Opera star George Gagnidze has performed for international audiences from Beijing, China, to St. Petersburg, Russia, at famed opera houses in Germany, Italy and from coast to coast in the United States.
On Oct. 6 the Georgian-born baritone will donate his talents to raise funds for a Warwick-based non-profit organization which assists physically and mentally challenged adults and children – CLC Foundation/Winslow Therapeutic Riding Center.
The event will be held in Concordia’s Sommer Center, 171 White Plains Road in Bronxville. Tickets and additional information are available at www.CLCFConcert.eventbrite.com.
Gagnidze, awarded prizes at several prestigious international contests, made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Rigoletto during the 2008-09 season.

'He is Rigoletto'

“Giorgi Gagnidze does not perform the role of Rigoletto," reviewer José Carreras wrote. "He is Rigoletto.”
In 2009, Gagnidze sang the role of Rigoletto in a guest performance of the Teatro Regio di Parma at the Opera National in Beijing and performed in La Scala Opera House in Milan.
Since then, Gagnidze has been in demand as a guest at all the world’s leading venues, enabling him to collaborate with famous conductors such as James Levine, Jesus Lopez Cobos, Fabio Luisi, Daniel Oren and Daniele Callegari and producers such as Giancarlo del Monaco and Lue Bondy.
His acclaimed performance in the role of Scarpia at the Met was broadcast at cinemas worldwide and has also been released on DVD.

'A revelation'

Pianist Mzia Bakhtouridze from Milan, Italy, will accompany Gagnidze.
After bass Ildar Abdrazakovs’ successful Carnegie Hall debut in 2015, a reviewer wrote, “Mzia Bakhtouridze at the piano was a revelation. Good accompanists do not call attention to themselves and she did not. But these particular piano parts are as challenging as any in the literature and she played with great beauty, with precision and with consistent sensitivity to the singer.
The concert by Gagnidze and Bakhtouridze will allow Winslow Therapeutic to assist additional clients in New York and Northern New Jersey.

About Winslow

Since 1974, Winslow Therapeutic Riding Center’s mission has been to improve the bodies, minds and spirits of children and adults with disabilities and/or special needs through the use of the horses in therapy and education.
Winslow, accredited by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATHI) as a Premier Accredited Center, serves the special needs population of Orange and surrounding counties in New York and northern New Jersey. Winslow currently owns 24 specially trained horses at its Warwick facility.