Ripalta Bufo may have left her native Italy, but the Scottsdale resident didn\u2019t behind a musical career that has taken her to some of the world\u2019s grand stages.<\/p>\n
The soprano opera singer was born in a small town in Italy and said that from an early age she \u201cdeveloped a profound passion for music.\u201d<\/p>\n
While she learned to play piano, saxophone, and clarinet, she pursued studies in singing \u2013 inspired \u201cby listening to Maria Callas and Celine Dion.\u201d<\/p>\n
She earned master\u2019s degrees at the National Conservatory of Music \u201cUmberto Giordano\u201d and the National Conservatory of Music \u201cGiuseppe Martucci,\u201d both in Italy, graduating summa cum laude.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also studied under renowned figures in the operatic world and won numerous international singing competitions before starting a professional career that has taken her to theaters across Italy, England, Spain, Egypt, Japan, Greece, Russia, and the United States.<\/p>\n
Bufo also was the runner-up on Italia\u2019s Got Talent and made appearances on other prominent Italian TV channels.<\/p>\n
She has debuted in numerous operas in leading roles, in classics such as including \u201cThe Barber of Seville,\u201d \u201cThe Magic Flute,\u201d \u201cLa Boh\u00e8me and \u201cLa Traviata,\u201d collaborating with famous stage directors and conductors.<\/p>\n
Now that she is in Scottsdale, Bufo said she is broadening her musical horizons with a voice that some have described as \u201cflexible and rich with nuances.\u201d<\/p>\n
She now not only performs in operas and major Italian and international classics but also has sung for movie soundtracks and in a variety of venues.<\/p>\n
Not that she has left her native country in the past: She recently recorded a CD, \u201cFrom Italy With Love\u201d and is \u00a0also the artistic director of a music festival \u201cFrancesco De Matteo\u201din Italy that she hopes to recreate here.<\/p>\n
The official soprano of Ferrari Club America, Bufo has performed at the 34th annual Ambassadors\u2019 Ball at Arizona Biltmore Resort and at the fourth annual Arizona Gala of the National Italian American Foundation at Caesar\u2019s a Republic Resort\u00a0 as well as concerts at the Italian Festivals of Scottsdale and Phoenix.<\/p>\n
Last month she received the Special Recognition Award from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Italian Heritage Celebration at Chase Field Stadium, where she \u00a0performed a short concert.<\/p>\n
She also performed what some called a head-turning version of the National Anthem at the Cave Creek Car Show on Oct. 4.<\/p>\n
People will have a chance to hear Bufo for themselves and at the 10th annual Italian Festival Oct. 25-26 at the Scottsdale Waterfront, where she is the featured performer.<\/p>\n
Tickets are available at italianassociation.org\/scottsdale-italian-festival<\/a>.<\/p>\n People also can hear her singing at local supper clubs and restaurants in Scottsdale.<\/p>\n To find up-to-date information on those appearances: instagram.com\/ripaltabufo?igsh=ajM0dW8yMDZzaTc3&utm_source=qr.<\/a><\/p>\n