The longest season: the Verona Arena sets a new box-office record

The longest, the richest and the youngest. And the hottest, of course (a record shared with events and activities across Europe). The latest edition of the Verona Arena Opera Festival – the 103rd – will be remembered for numerous records, starting with its duration: over three months of performances, from 5 June to 12 September, totalling 51 evenings, 19 of which were ‘sold out’.

Total box office takings also reached a record high, coming close to 37 million euros (of which 27.9 million were sold online), up from 35.6 million last year and 33.6 million in 2014. And although the average takings per performance fell slightly (just over €724,300, compared with €742,000 last year), ‘La Traviata’ on 13 June set a new record, with €1.79 million in ticket sales, surpassing the previous record set by ‘Turandot’ in 2024.

The number of spectators also rose compared with 2025 (by 12,000), reaching 416,600 and coming close to the record of 417,354 set two years ago.

The figures on young people are interesting, with the under-30s now accounting for 11 per cent of the total audience: a ‘historic achievement’ according to Cecilia Gasdia, superintendent of the Verona Opera Foundation, which reflects the value of the programmes aimed at younger generations and families, as well as the expansion of sales channels through new communication tools: more than 63 million users were reached online, whilst on social media, the theatre’s followers have increased by 34,000 compared to last year.

“For this year’s Festival, we have opened the doors of the Arena to children under the age of four and their parents as well,” adds Gasdia proudly, commenting on the figures for the ninth edition of the Festival under her leadership: “I am now heading into the tenth edition, which in 2027 will also be the final full season of my second term,” she noted.