Performers are reportedly struggling with the intense heat during performances at the Arena di Verona.

Per a report by Italian publication Gramilano, four members of the chorus were in need of medical assistance during a performance of “Nabucco” on June 28. Meanwhile, a chorus member fainted during “Aida” on June 29 while two others needed medical assistance.

“Biker boots, full trousers, and tunics. In the third act, we wear a rigid plastic grille with LED lights, which weighs about 10 kilos,” said a chorus member in the report. “It cuts into my shoulders, so I had to put a towel underneath. And in the meantime, I also have to sing, with helmets, hoods, visors and a plastic cape. It’s inhumane.”

Meanwhile, another singer was quoted as stating  that, “The stage is hot, the costumes are so rigid that they force you to sing with your chin up. The plastic armor touches our necks.”

Moreover, a union representative took aim at the “Aida” costumes from director Stefano Poda’s production, noting that “The length, heaviness and lack of breathability of the fabrics, together with the prohibitive climatic conditions recorded inside the amphitheatre, have made the work of everyone, both artistic and technical, a real hell.”

Poda also created the “Nabucco” production, which also features plastic and metal costumes. Costumes reportedly weighed in at 11 kg with the bodices made of plastic. Seeking to avoid a similar challenge as that experienced with the “Aida” costumes, unions previously requested that more consideration be had with regards to the fabrics used for “Nabucco.”

Meanwhile, the Arena di Verona is seeking aid from a company in Milan to monitor the “thermal stress of the workers during daytime operations such as set changes and rehearsals, as well as the evening performances,” adds the report.

The “Aida” production at Verona previously made headlines when star soprano Anna Netrebko canceled her two shows.  She is still on target to appear in “Nabucco.”

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