The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, in partnership with the Per Ananke Association, will present a single performance of “Desdemona – Studio I,” written and directed by Francesca Tricarico.

The work draws on Shakespeare’s “Othello,” Verdi’s operatic setting of the same story, and the 18th-century history of the Lady Juliana, a vessel that transported approximately 250 women deported from England to the Australian colonies. Original music is by Gerardo Casiello, with sets by Sofia Sciamanna, costumes by Marina Sciarelli, and lighting by Zofia Pinkiewicz.

The showcase, set for Monday, June 4, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at the Teatro Nazionale in Rome, brings together, for the first time in the institution’s history, five incarcerated actresses from the Rebibbia Women’s Prison, including Clizia F., Dorota B., Irina M., Maria F., and Lucia D. They will be released from prison to participate in the event alongside performers Luana Basilico and Bruna Arceri and are joined by soprano Jessica Ricci and pianist Elettra Aurora Pomponio from the Rome Opera’s “Fabbrica” Young Artist Program.

“Casting so-called ‘bad girls’ in the roles of bad girls is a dangerous choice. But isn’t this the same difficulty we face every day when we don’t want to hear about female detention? We don’t want to justify — crime can never be justified — but we do want to understand: because only understanding the causes can allow us to prevent history from repeating itself,” Tricarico said, per an official press release.

The production previously premiered at the Rebibbia Women’s Prison Theatre on May 20, 2026.

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