Maestro Alberto Veronesi conducted Giacomo Puccini’s Bohème blindfolded. He did so in protest at the direction of the opera on the opening day of the 69th festival in Torre del Lago, in the province of Lucca. In his opinion, the setting, reminiscent of 1968, and the miniskirts of some of the protagonists reveal “every vision and every spirit of Puccini”. Undersecretary for Culture Vittorio Sgarbi said he proposed the protest to Veronesi. Who denied it yesterday? The organizers of the festival had pointed out in recent days that the maestro had not protested at the time of the engagement, even though he knew about the 1968 scenography. Today, in a letter to Libero, the conductor announces that he has been fired. According to him, because he is “anti-communist”. “They betrayed Puccini, but they only care about ideology.”
delay
Veronesi, who ran as a candidate for the Democratic Party and for Action before joining the Brothers of Italy, says that “the president of the Puccini Festival” sent him a letter of resignation. With the “ridiculous” justification that he was late for an exam. The President of the Puccini Festival is Luigi Ficacci. According to Veronesi, “He organized a bohemian where the protagonists clenched fists throughout the opera.” And anyone who doesn’t follow is fired. Because “this loyal member of the Celebrations Committee does not intend to celebrate Puccini, which he doesn’t give a damn about.” But to celebrate his left-wing political beliefs.” Then the conductor asks himself: “Is it right to add extras and choir singers to this force them to raise their clenched fists?” Maybe yes, but then you also have to organize a direction with opposing ideas, because if you choose political propaganda you cannot escape the laws of a level playing field.”
With closed eyes
Veronesi then says that he staged the opera “with his eyes closed, like Von Karajan”. In reality, the Austrian maestro acted this way because he knew the scores by heart and not out of political protest. And he did not show a blindfold: because of this, only the musicians noticed the eyes. Veronesi, on the other hand, initially argues that the direction was different from the agreed one. And then: “Communism, defeated by history and elections, reappears in a forced form in the form of an opera director.” And with a dictatorial president worthy of Pol Pot.”
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