Venices Teatro La Fenice welcomed 2006 with a celebration of dance and music. After the first full season at the restored Fenice there was ample reason to celebrate the three pillars of the house: symphonic music, opera and dance. Kurt Masur chose works by three of Italys leading 19th century operatic composers, Verdi, Donizetti and Puccini and - in the year that sees the 250th anniversary of Mozarts birth - excerpts from two of his operas with libretti by the Venetian poet Lorenzo Da Ponte. So the live recording of the gala concert features highlights from the worlds most beloved operas, among them an extract from Mozarts Le nozze di Figaro and the duet, L ci darem la mano, from his Don Giovanni, the sinfonia from Verdis La forza del destino and the famous Libiamo ne lieti calici from La Traviata and two of his most popular choruses: O signore, dal tetto nation from I lombardi alla prima crociata and Va, pensiero from Nabucco. Donizettis sinfonia from Don Pasquale and the tenor aria Una furtiva lacrima from his Lelisir damore are featured along with the legendary Vissi darte from Puccinis Tosca. The outstandingly well-prepared choir of the Fenice opera house perform alongside three international opera stars: Italian dramatic soprano Fiorenza Cedolins, young tenor Joseph Calleja and longstanding Italian bass Roberto Scandiuzzi.