Biography

Albanian tenor Saimir Pirgu made his Royal Opera debut in 2007 as Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi) and has since sung Alfredo Germont (La traviata), Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto) and Shepherd (Król Roger) for The Royal Opera. In the 2019/20 Season he sings Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor).
Pirgu was born in Elbasan and studied with Vito Brunetti. He made his international debut in 2004 aged 22, singing Ferrando (Così fan tutte) under Claudio Abbado on tour in Italy. He currently sings for opera companies including the Metropolitan Opera, New York, La Scala, Milan, Vienna State Opera, Paris Opéra, the Bolshoi, Berlin State Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Zürich Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, San Francisco Opera and for Opera Australia, and at the Arena di Verona and Salzburg Festival. In addition to his Royal Opera roles his current repertory includes Faust (Faust and La Damnation de Faust), Don José (Carmen), Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Rodolfo (La bohème), B.F. Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Werther, Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore), Riccardo (Un ballo in maschera), Gabriele Adorno (Simon Boccanegra) and Roméo (Roméo et Juliette).
Pirgu also performs widely in concert, at venues including the Vienna Musikverein, Paris Philharmonie and Amsterdam Concertgebouw, and with orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. His concert repertory includes Verdi’s Requiem, Beethoven’s Symphony no.9 Dvorák’s Stabat Mater and Berlioz’s Messe solenelle. He has recorded prolifically on CD and DVD, including the solo album Il Mio Canto for Opus Arte, and in 2013 won the Pavarotti d’Oro Award.
News and features
Your reaction: La traviata live in cinemas 2016
What did you think of the live cinema relay of Richard Eyre's production of Verdi's classic opera?
La traviata to be relayed live to cinemas around the world on 4 February 2016
Richard Eyre's production of Verdi's tragic tale of love and loss stars Venera Gimadieva and Saimir Pirgu.
Król Roger available on DVD/Blu-Ray
Kasper Holten's acclaimed Royal Opera production of Szymanowski's rare opera is now available to buy.
Photos
Saimir Pirgu

Saimir Pirgu as Shepherd in Król Roger

Georgia Jarman as Roxana, Mariusz Kwiecień in the title role and Saimir Pirgu as the Shepherd in rehearsal for Król Roger, The Royal Opera

Mariusz Kwiecień in the title role and Saimir Pirgu as the Shepherd in rehearsal for Król Roger, The Royal Opera

Justina Gringyte as Maddalena and Saimir Pirgu as the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto

Saimir Pirgu with Members of the Royal Opera Chorus Kwiecień in Król Roger

Saimir Pirgu as the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto

Saimir Pirgu in La traviata, The Royal Opera

Alan Ewing, Mariusz Kwiecień, Saimir Pirgu, and Georgia Jarman in Król Roger

Simir Pirgu as Alfredo in La traviata, The Royal Opera

Venera Gimadieva and Saimir Pirgu in La traviata

Aleksandra Kurzak as Gilda and Saimir Pirgu as the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto

Saimir Pirgu as the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto

Aleksandra Kurzak as Gilda and Saimir Pirgu as Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto

Elizabeth Sikora as Giovanna and Saimir Pirgu as the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto

Saimir Pirgu as Shepherd with dancers in Król Roger
