Preparations for the 93rd edition of the Arena di Verona’s 2015 Opera Festival, staged from 19th June to 6th September, are under way.

54 evenings are on the programme with 6 Opera titles - Nabucco, Aida, Tosca, Don Giovanni, Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Roméo et Juliette - 2 not to be missed Gala evenings - Roberto Bolle and Friends and Carmen Gala Concert - and the great return of Carmina Burana.

The Festival, in the year of the Expo Milano 2015, intends to follow the exhibition theme “feeding the planet" with the culture and magic of music, thanks to the most beloved Opera titles and spectacular, acclaimed sets of recent Arena history.

A title much appreciated by the Arena di Verona’s audience, mostly for its impressive sets and the huge number of performers which fills the largest stage in the world, will inaugurate the 2015 Festival on 19th June 2015: Giuseppe Verdi’s Nabucco, presented for 14 evenings with Gianfranco de Bosio’s 1991 direction, with sets by Rinaldo Olivieri. Riccardo Frizza returns to the Arena to conduct the first performances, followed by Julian Kovatchev. Further performances: 25 June - 3, 9, 15, 18, 23 July - 13, 18, 22, 26, 29 August - 1, 5 September.

The ‘Queen’ of the Arena di Verona’s Opera titles Aida, will be staged from the following evening, 20th June, in 18 performances with Franco Zeffirelli’s remarkable sets, enriched by costumes by Anna Anni. Three conductors of the highest caliber alternate on the podium for Verdi’s masterpiece: Andrea Battistoni, Omer Meir Wellber and Daniel Oren. Further performances: 27 June - 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 25, 31 July - 9, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 30 August - 2, 6 September.

The third title on the programme for 6 evenings from 26th June is Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca in its 2006 staging by Hugo de Ana, who also leads the direction, costume design and lighting. All performances are conducted by Julian Kovatchev. Further performances: 8, 11, 16 July- 6, 14 August.

From 4th July for 5 performances is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni, in the beautiful staging by Franco Zeffirelli, who inaugurated the 2012 Opera Festival, with costumes by Maurizio Millenotti, choreography by Maria Grazia Garofoli and lighting by Paolo Mazzon. After his extraordinary success in theatres throughout the world with Barocco repertoire debuting on the Arena’s podium is Stefano Montanari. Further performances: 10, 17, 30 July - 12 August.

From 1st August for 5 evenings Gioachino Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia is staged transforming the Roman Amphitheatre into the grand garden created by Hugo de Ana in 2007, enriched by Leda Lojodice’s fun choreography and characterized by the giant, evocative roses which distinguish the Opera Museum AMO at Palazzo Forti. For this Verdi title, another promising young conductor, Giacomo Sagripanti, debuts in the Arena. Further performances: 7, 20, 28 August- 4 September.

From 8th August 3 dates are confirmed for Charles Gounod’s essential Roméo et Juliette in Francesco Micheli’s partly medieval and partly rock staging which has reached its 5th consecutive season, with sets by Edoardo Sanchi, costumes by Silvia Aymonino, choreography by Nikos Lagousakos and lighting by Paolo Mazzon. Daniel Oren’s expert baton conducts.
Further performances: 21 August - 3 September.

The Orchestra, Chorus, Dance Company and Technicians of the Fondazione Arena di Verona, are all engaged, together with numerous mimes and extras.

Among the special evenings which the Fondazione Arena is preparing for its audience, on 22nd July, due to popular demand, the great international Dance production with Roberto Bolle and Friends returns. Accompanying the dancers’ performance is the Arena’s Orchestra conducted by Julian Kovatchev.

On 24th July, the highly anticipated Carmen Gala Concert is presented, a performance dedicated to the most loved pages of Georges Bizet’s masterpiece. The protagonists of the evening are Anita Rachvelishvili (Carmen), Vittorio Grigolo (Don José), Dalibor Jenis (Escamillo) and Carmen Giannattasio (Micaela), and leading the Arena’s Orchestra and Chorus is Omer Meir Wellber. In addition, the young prodigy of the violin Giovanni Andrea Zanon will perform Pablo de Sarasate’s virtuous Carmen Fantasy.

Finally, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana will be performed on 25th August, the great musical fresco of medieval poetry which last year met with enormous success as it resounded for the first time from within the Arena Amphitheatre’s antique stone walls. For this magical evening Andrea Battistoni is confirmed to conduct the Arena’s Orchestra and Chorus.

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