Mr. Li Vigni, a graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts, honed many of his stage and repertoire skills at AVA and began bringing them to the international stage while yet a student at AVA. Mr. Li Vigni made his Metropolitan Opera of New York debut in 2004 in Boris Godunov, and was seen again at the Met in Lohengrin and Parsifal, and covered roles in Nabucco, Ariadne auf Naxos, Rosenkavalier, and Samson et Dalila.
Jack’s first time on the Met stage was during the finals of the National Council Competition’s Grand Finals in 2003, where under the direction of Maestro Julius Rudel he sang arias from Lucia di Lammermoor and Werther. Anthony Tommasini of the New York Times identified Gioacchino as an audience favorite, and said that Gioacchino “wrings every virtue out of the voice God gave him.”
Gioacchino’s Turiddu in Portland was judged by critics as “excellent… he milked the scene for everything and brought down the house… passionate, the sparks almost tangible, incendiary.” Gioacchino’s acute sense for the interpretation of Verismo lead critics to write: “from a musical standpoint, the production is one of the best in memory. What is really astonishing, however, is that [the opera is] not only emotionally charged, but also believable, which is what ‘verismo’ is all about. [The opera] took fire with Turiddu, well sung by tenor Gioacchino Lauro LiVigni, who knows how to strut like a young Mussolini. (Opera set in 1939)” (Hyde, Portland Press Herald).
Lucia di Lammermoor, one of his most performed operas both in America and Europe. In Philadelphia, critics characterized his performance as vibrant, full of rage and despair, and suave. Gioacchino expanded his Donizettian repertoire taking on the challenging role of Leicester in Maria Stuarda for Opera Marseille.
Gioacchino honed his sense of musicality with Mozart, singing the role of Ferrando in Così fan tutte both in Europe and in America, including his Chicago debut, of which Opera News wrote “Così fan tutte showcased talented young singers with truly impressive stage smarts Li Vigni’s tenor is fresh, appealing, and wonderfully unfussy.”
Gioacchino is vocally agile and has skillfully bent his instrument to sing Rossini. Among his performances, Il Barbiere di Siviglia for Oper Frankfurt where his rendition of Almaviva was characterized by critics as “charming, vocally agile, and playfully capable of change.” He took on Almaviva also in Philadelphia for AVA and in Beijing for his Asian debut. He also appeared in Frankfurt as Ramiro in Cenerentola of which critics said he “gives a radiating clear Don Ramiro… very much worth seeing.”
Among some other operas performed: Il Pirata for his Amsterdam debut at the Concertgebauw alongside Nelly Miricioiu, and for his debut in French repertoire – the role of Faust in São Paulo, Brazil alongside the Marguerite of Leontina Vaduva. Il Corsaro, Pinkerton, Elvino, Rodolfo, Alfredo, Duca di Mantova.
Gioacchino has also received highest awards and recognition in prestigious competitions (2003 Francisco Viñas International Voice Competition, 3rd place and “Best Finalist” award by popular vote of the public of the Gran Teatro Liceu, 1st place winner of The Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation Opera Competition, Metropolitan Opera National Finalist, 2nd Place Competizione per Voci Donizettiane).