Unseen visions delving into universal themes

The approach to the greats, whoever they may be, in addition to setting parameters must be an opportunity for reflection. All the more necessary if the great in question is Giuseppe Verdi, the subject of a festival. A series of points must be established. For a festival to define itself as such, it must find an identity that defines its reasons. With Verdi celebrated every day in all the theatres of the world, it is indispensable that the programming makes a contribution to a possibly unprecedented process of knowledge, articulating itself on different levels: on the one hand, the desire for a reliable performance, ensured by the collaboration with the Istituto di Studi Verdiani; on the other, the intention to consider Verdi in his historical perspective.

Verdi's operas do not admit of unambiguous readings. The elements that compose them, and that intertwine with each other often reveal themselves in surprising ways, are too many, just as the perspectives are too diverse to be able to classify them with predefined criteria. However, in the construction of the festival, focusing on specific aspects of what has been an impressive artistic event can be functional for a project. This is the reason why we decided to dedicate each edition to a theme: Verdi and power last year, Verdi and Shakespeare this year. Wanting to avoid a celebration as an end in itself, the thematic reference can reveal relationships. This will provide an opportunity to recount the figure of Verdi, making it clear how he transcends his time and, projecting into the future, is a harbinger of absolute values. The starting point of a journey in which the evolution of a language, both musical and dramaturgical, has developed in the most diverse forms. A language with which composers of today, or at any rate subsequent to him, deal or have dealt with similar topics, which can be traced back to those dealt with in the festival. Following this approach, alongside Verdi's three great Shakespearian operas, Macbeth (1847), Otello and Falstaff, the Festival, on its 25th anniversary, has commissioned Luca Francesconi to write a work inspired by Timone of Athens and will be even more rooted in the contemporary world by presenting the premiere of three creations by as many authors of today, of different generations and addresses.

Arthistic Director Teatro Regio of Parma and Festival Verdi