Today in European microphone, Italy, Verona, opera, Italian culture and then this Italian brilliance, in the company of a great singer, an Italian soprano, Cecilia Gasdia.
franceinfo: You are an Italian singer, now superintendent and artistic director of the Verona Opera Festival. What was your repertoire?
Cecilia Gasdia: I sang 90 operas in my career, especially 15 operas by Rossini, 14 operas by Verdi, four operas by Puccini and 12 French operas, Massenet, Gounod… I really like the French repertoire and I sang a lot in French.
This opera festival is the 99th. Moreover, until next September 4 and next year, it will be the 100th season of the Verona Arena Opera Festival. We have lived through difficult years with the Covid, etc. How was it in Italy? Italy, which has been badly affected by the pandemic…
In Verona, Lombardy, Turin, Milan, it was terrible…
And these famous arenas of Verona, was everything closed or the festival continued?
When it all started before the start of the season, everyone stopped. But we made the decision to completely change the scenology, and we turned around, as under ancient Rome, ancient Rome. The stage in the center of the amphitheater, few spectators, but a show all the same. With first of all, 1000 people on the bleachers, after 2000 people. The Ministry of Culture and the Italian government told us, maximum 2000 people.
Verona Arena, how many spectators in total?
13,500, but we kept going. We have never been silent.
Does that mean during the pandemic only, in 2020?
2000 people in 2020 and the second year, 2021, 5000 people. Life went on, with different shows. And with the same artists too, but we broadcast the show on a screen, and RAI, Italian television broadcast three times. It was important for everyone, the festival employees, the singers, who stayed at home without being able to sing.
2023, will be the 100th season of this Verona Arena opera festival?
Exactly, because the world wars and the Covid stopped this festival which started in 1913.