The Teatro Comunale di Ferrara will present “Ferrovia sopraelevata,” on May 23 and 24, 2026.

The musical tale in six episodes by writer Dino Buzzati with music by Ferrara-born composer Luciano Chailly, explores the story of a young devil named Max who is sent to Earth to corrupt a pure-souled young woman named Laura, only to fall in love with her.

The production is a collaboration between the Teatro Comunale di Ferrara and the Conservatorio “G. Frescobaldi” di Ferrara. Federico Cavalieri conducts the Conservatorio’s orchestra in what marks his operatic debut on the podium. The cast features Andrea Guerri as Max and Asia Minniti as Laura, with Greta Cognolato (soprano), Tobia Mantovani (baritone), and Sofia Vecchioni as the Speaker. Stage direction is by Giovanni Dispenza.

“Luciano Chailly constructs a score capable of transforming orchestral rhythms and colors into true dramaturgical elements; the music does not merely accompany the scene, but amplifies it, generating a dialogue between word and sound,” Cavalieri said per an official press release.

Pre-concert events accompany both performances. A “Prima della prima” talk with artistic director Marcello Corvino takes place on May 23 at 7 p.m. in the Teatro’s Ridotto, and each performance is preceded by a preview featuring Chailly’s “Toccata per archi” in a transcription by Giorgio Rizzi, performed by the plectrum orchestra “Gino Neri.”

The production is sponsored by ENI with Rai Radio 3 Classica as media partner. Running time is one hour and fifteen minutes without intermission.