The Festival Verdi is set to present Verdi’s “Alzira.”

The new production by Manuel Renga will be conducted by James Conlon, and performed in a critical edition edited by Stefano Castelvecchi and Jonathan Cheskin.

The opera will star Marta Torbidoni in the title role, Antonio Poli, Federico Bonghi, Daniel Luis de Vicente, Alessio Cacciamani, Agostino Suibacchi, Erica Cortese, and Long Ning.

In a statement Torbidoni said, “It’s always a thrill to be back at the Festival Verdi, which has given me so much since the start of my career, thanks to roles that remain a hallmark of my artistic development. I’m excited to be back here to inaugurate the 2026 edition in the title role! Alzira is not one of the most well-known or best-loved operas by Verdi (who contributed to its bad fortune, going so far as to call it unappealing) but it is Verdi, nonetheless. And it tells us a lot about the composer, from his interest in the exotic subject matter borrowed from none other than Voltaire to themes that were dear to him, such as the conflict between affairs of the heart and of state, and between the oppressed and their unscrupulous oppressors. In this sense, Verdi doesn’t let us down.

“Alzira” will be performed three times on Oct. 1, 8 and 17, 2026 at the Teatro Regio di Parma.