For the 97th time, the organization of the Verona Opera Festival transformed the city’s huge Roman amphitheater into the largest – with 10,000 seats – open-air opera house in the world.
The Festival was organized for the first time in 1913, with ‘Aida’, as a centennial commemoration of Giuseppe Verdi, born in 1813. Since then, in the summer, enthusiasts from all over the world arrive in Verona to experience the unique opportunity to enjoy great operas interpreted by the best artist in the world, in an arena that is thousands of years old and under the stars.
This year, until September 7th, on the stage of the 2019 Verona Opera Festival 80 soloists from all over the world will take turns to perform five great operas: ‘La Traviata’, ‘Aida’, and ‘Il Trovatore’ by Giuseppe Verdi; ‘Carmen’ by Georges Bizet, and ‘Tosca’ by Giacomo Puccini.
Among the most anticipated performers are Anna Netrebko, Lisette Oropesa, Leo Nucci, Aleksandra Kurzak, Yusif Eyvazov, Saioa Hernández, Erwin Schrott, Hui He, Dmitry Beloselskiy, Tamara Wilson, Luca Salsi, Maria José Siri, Pavel Petrov, and Amartuvshin Enkhbat. The program also features a show with Giuseppe Picone, international étoile and director of the Corps de Ballet of the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, as well as choreographer of the last ‘Traviata’ by Franco Zeffirelli. Given the opportunity, he will perform exceptionally in the recitation of the first of August, which will see male protagonists as Plácido Domingo and Vittorio Grigolo.
In the calendar there are also three special events: ‘Plácido Domingo 50 Arena Anniversary Night’ celebrates the 50th anniversary of the debut in the Arena of the Tenor’s, who is a legend of the international opera scene; ‘Roberto Bolle and Friends’ will perform on two separete dates; while the third one will be the debut of Carl Orff’s scenic cantata ‘Carmina Burana’ conducted by Maestro Ezio Bosso.
Ilona Catani Scarlett
Photo ©Ennevi