The Festival Verdi has announced its 2021 season and will take place in both Parma and Busetto. Here is a look at the operaic performances planned for this season.

Operas & Concerts 

The season kicks off with “Un ballo in maschera“ at Teatro Regio di Parma in a new staging by Graham Vick. Roberto Abbado conducts the Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini and the Coro del Teatro Regio di Parma with a cast that includes Piero Pretti, Maria Teresa Leva, Enkhbat Amartuvshin, Anna Maria Chiuri, and Giuliana Gianfaldoni.

Performance Dates: Sept. 24-Oct. 15, 2021

Roberto Abbado conducts the Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna in a symphonic-choral concert featuring works from “Oberto, Count of San Bonifacio, Il finto Stanislao,” “I Lombardi alla prima Crociata,” “Giovanna d’Arco,” and from “Nabuchodonosor.”

Performance Date: Sept. 26, 2021

The Messa da Requiem will be conducted by Daniele Gatti in a new critical edition by David Rosen. The soloists are Maria Agresta, Elina Garanča, Fabio Sartori, and John Relyea.

Performance Date: Oct. 2, 2021

Lisette Oropesa makes her company and festival debut in a recital dedicated to the chamber romances of the Italian XIX century, a repertoire to which Verdi contributed. The program includes Verdi’s romances, and pieces by contemporary authors, from Bellini and Donizetti to Mercadante and Luzzi.

Performance Date: Oct. 7, 2021

“Simon Boccanegra” will be conducted by Michele Mariotti with Igor Golovatenko debuting in the role of Simon Boccanegra, Angela Meade debuting in the role of Amelia Grimaldi, Riccardo Della Sciucca debuting in the role of Gabriele Adorno and Michele Pertusi as Jacopo Fiesco.

Performance Dates: Oct. 9 & 16, 2021

Eleonora Buratto will lead the Gala Verdiano with Antonio Poli accompanying on the piano. The program of the recital is dedicated works from “I Vespri Siciliani,” “Aroldo,” “Un ballo in maschera,” “Aida,” “Rigoletto,” “Don Carlo.”

Performance Date: Oct. 10, 2021

The charity opera gala this year in favor of the “Liberi di volare” association, conceived and organized by the Gruppo Appassionati Verdiani – Club dei 27 will take place at Teatro Regio di Parma. Susanna Pescetti will be on the podium of the Filarmonica dell’Opera Italiana “Bruno Bartoletti” and she will conduct the sopranos Amarilli Nizza and Scilla Cristiano, mezzo-soprano Martina Belli, tenors Roberto Aronica and Antonio Mandrillo and bass Roberto Tagliavini. Guest of honor of the evening, presented by Paolo Zoppi, will be Raina Kabaivanska.

Performance Date: Oct. 12, 2021

The Opera escapes the spaces of the Theatre and becomes itinerant, bringing its stories and its music vis-a-vis with the public in the squares of Busseto, Montechiarugolo, Parma, Baganzola. The Festival Verdi project Caravan Verdiano, in collaboration with Verdi Off, brings to the stage the show “La traviata Lo spirito di Violetta” through a mobile theater with sets and costumes by Aurelio Colombo. The opera is told by an actor and an actress and sung by soprano Adriana Iozzia, tenor Matteo Mezzaro, and baritone Daniele Terenzi.

Performance Date: Sept: 19, 25, 26, October 3, 2021

There will also five free concerts with great Verdian choruses.

Performance Date: Sept. 27-Oct. 17