Italy: Rome summer opera festival returns to Baths of Caracalla

Rome: The summer season of Rome’s opera house will finally return to its historic venue at the Baths of Caracalla in 2022, leaving behind the Circus Maximus after two years.

The open-air opera festival took place at the Terme di Caracalla from 1937 until 2020 when the majestic setting among the ruins was ruled incompatible with Italy’s covid social distancing rules.

Once again the summer programme of Teatro dell’Opera di Roma mixes opera classics with dance, theatre and popular music, kicking off with 12 concerts by Italian singer-songwriter Claudio Baglioni, accompanied by an orchestra (3 June-17 July).

Leonard Bernstein’s Mass, a theatrical musical piece “for singers, musicians and dancers”, will be conducted by Diego Matheuz and directed by Damiano Michieletto on 1, 3 and 5 July.

David Garrett, the German classical and crossover violinist, will perform on 25 July, while dancer Roberto Bolle and Friends will take to the stage from 12-14 July.

Carmen, an opera in four acts by Georges Bizet, will be performed on five nights from 15 July to 4 August, conducted by Bertrand de Billy and directed by Valentina Carrasco.

Roland Petit’s Notre-Dame de Paris lights up the stage over four nights from 21 July to 3 August, while the summer opera season ends on a high note with The Barber of Seville by Rossini, under the baton of Stefano Montanari, on 2, 5, 7 and 9 August.