Tonight, Thursday 11 March at 8pm CET the Teatro Regio in Turin streams Riccardo Muti (who is appearing for the first time at the theatre) conducting Così fan tutte.
His daughter, Chiara Muti, is the director of a production which was a 2018 co-production between the Teatro San Carlo in Naples and the Vienna State Opera. The all-Italian cast sees Eleonora Buratto as Fiordiligi, Paola Gardina as Dorabella, Alessandro Luongo as Guglielmo, and Giovanni Sala as Ferrando. Francesca Di Sauro plays Despina and Marco Filippo Romano is Don Alfonso.
The production, recorded without an audience, was made possible by the insurance company Reale Mutua, which means that the opera house can offer the production to a global audience free of charge.
The minimal “magic lantern” sets are by Leila Fteita, the eighteenth-century costumes by Alessandro Lai, with lighting by Vincent Longuemare.
Rosanna Purchia, who took over as the theatre's Intendant last year, after ten years at San Carlo in Naples, says:
Riccardo Muti is, without a doubt, one of the most prestigious conductors in the world. His brilliant career, combined with a magnetic personality, is a source of fascination and inspiration. I am sincerely touched that Maestro Muti has enthusiastically accepted my invitation to come and conduct our wonderful Orchestra and Chorus.
My long relationship of esteem and friendship with the Maestro, strengthened by our common Neapolitan origins, has produced this extraordinary event. The presence of the Maestro, in such a difficult moment for the theatre, is an important sign, which gives me and all of us extra strength.
The streaming of Così fan tutte is free and will remain available on-demand until 30 September 2021.
Top photo: Riccardo Muti © Todd Rosenberg Photography, by courtesy of riccardomutimusic.com
Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.
His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.
