Italian conductor Riccardo Muti on Tuesday opens the new season at Rome Opera devoted to Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner with a performance of "Simon Boccanegra" by the great Italian Romantic composer.
Muti emphasized Verdi's "greatness and universality" in a speech to students at Rome's La Sapienza University on the eve of the premiere at an opera house where he has been appointed "honorary conductor for life".
He reminded his audience of Verdi's role in the unification of Italy in the 19th century, which is also reflected in "Simon Boccanegra" with its message of countering internecine warfare in the port of Genoa set in the 14th century.
The production is by Britain's Adrian Noble, former director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the sets are by Dante Ferretti, a three-time Oscar winner who has worked with cinema greats Federico Fellini and Martin Scorsese.
The Romanian baritone George Petean and Uruguay's Dario Solari will take turns playing the hero Simon Boccanegra, while Maria Boccanegra is being played by Italian sopranos Maria Agresta and Eleonora Buratto.
Ahead of the bicentenary of the birth of the composer on October 10, 2013, two more of Verdi's works will be presented during the season with "The Two Foscari" produced by Germany's Werner Herzog and "Nabucco".
Rome Opera, which has balanced its accounts with an increase in attendance, will also celebrate Wagner's bicentenary with his work "Rienzi" and the centenary of British composer Benjamin Britten with "Curlew River".
The season will wrap up next year with another classic, "Turandot" by Puccini, with a stage set by British artist David Hockney.
More information on the season is available at www.operaroma.it.
Source: http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/62571-italian-maestro-riccardo-muti-launches-rome-opera-season
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