A slight delay due to a few raindrops, fans know, and the gong has returned to sound three times at the Arena di Verona for the hundredth return to the stage of the Opera Festival, with a brand new staging of the most classic of his works, theAida.
Star Anna Netrebko, flanked by tenor Yusif Eyvazov (Radamès), performs on the futuristic stage with the orchestra of the Fondazione Arena conducted by Marco Armiliato. 160 musicians and just as many choir singers. Also on the stage is the “army” of extras, a total of 160 men and 45 women.
Stefano Poda will direct Verdi’s masterpiece, which makes its debut in the arena and also signs sets, costumes, lights and choreography. A spectacular backdrop of lasers, reflections off a giant metal hand, ruins of Greek columns and spaceship simulacra. And the famous “Triumphal March” becomes a ballet, the costumes reflect the rays of the transparent floor, the Ethiopian prisoners emerge from the ground like zombies.
The short, unforeseen rain caused some inconvenience, so the unfortunate had to look for a shelter without umbrella or raincoat; The “lovers” had instead brought protection and remained seated awaiting the symbolic “raising of the curtain” of the amphitheater, conceived by the Veronese tenor Giovanni Zenatello, who in 1913, during a visit to the Roman amphitheater, threw a chest C. He had the idea there organize the first opera festival.
The Arena Festival also enjoyed live televised coverage for its ‘first 100 years’ worldview on Rai1. Presentation by Milly Carlucci, with the participation of Alberto Angela and Luca Zingaretti. The always spectacular double flyover of the Frecce Tricolori was also live, while the choir in tricolor robes sang the Mameli anthem.
The exceptional godmother of the evening was Sofia Loren, who was greeted with a standing ovation upon entering the floor. Just 70 years ago, Loren had donned the costumes of Aida in the film adaptation of the opera directed by Clemente Fracassi, lending her imagination to the voice of Renata Tebaldi.
The evening was witnessed by the whole city of Verona, with a.o Red carpet on the Piazza Bra by guests from entertainment, politics and business: i Presidents of the Senate and Chamber, La Russa and Fontana, the ministers Urso, Casellati, Ciriani, Calderone and Sangiulianor with Undersecretaries Mazzi and Sgarbi; among the VIPs the American actor Matt Dillon, TV names like Amadeus, guests “at home” in his Verona like Jerry Calà and Gigliola Cinquetti; then Lino Banfi, Iva Zanicchi, Michele Placido, the writers Alessandro Baricco and Marco Malvaldi, Mogol and Morgan.
A premiere that was also brought “from the amphitheater” thanks to vier big screens set up by the municipal administration in as many districts of Verona. A way to celebrate the arena together with the whole city.
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