Conductor

Particularly intriguing is the diptych, presented at the Teatro Goldoni, composed of The Telephone by Gian Carlo Menotti and – staged for the very first time now in Venice – Trouble in Tahiti by Leonard Bernstein: two single acts, which satirise certain recurring quirks in American society around the middle of the twentieth century. The hilarious The Telephone ridicules one of the small vices of the time: telephonic prolixity. The absolute protagonist is Lucy who communicates, over the phone, with Margaret – singing neoclassical arias à la Stravinsky – or with Pamela – singing to the rhythm of a polytonal waltz – or with Ben – accompanied by a ‘romantic’ clarinet. Lucy’s melodic élan is accompanied by an extensively lively orchestra in a largely tonal context. In Trouble in Tahiti, his ‘operatic debut’, a young Bernstein offers a gloomy and disturbing picture of society and, at the same time, of his family, with hints of almost self-punishing sarcasm. Through the marital crisis of a well-to-do bourgeois couple, Dinah and Sam – who represent the musician’s parents – Bernstein not only publicly shames the post-war, consumerist and elitist American society, but the American Dream itself. In this short but rather ‘dark’ musical – where a vocal jazz trio comments on the vicissitudes of the two protagonists – the great Lenny stands out with the refined eclecticism of his language – which sees the Tahiti rumba side-by-side with American swing – foreshadowing masterpieces, such as Candide and West Side Story.

The telephone & Trouble in Tahiti

Teatro Goldoni

Concert 1

Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi

Like a painting brought to life: within a transparent structure, the vibrant Paris of the nineteenth century comes to life, forming the backdrop of an unforgettable story of love and friendship. The most recent Arena production of La Bohème, designed by Alfonso Signorini, returns to the Arena di Verona for four nights.

La Bohème

Arena di Verona

It was his first great success, in a sense, his breakthrough: Nabucco. Premiered at Milan’s Scala in the spring of 1842, this work marks the start of the brilliant career of Giuseppe Verdi, who would become the leading Italian opera composer, going virtually unrivalled for decades. Set in biblical times in Jerusalem and Babylon, Nabucco deals with the fates of two peoples and cultures, but also the arrogance of the protagonist, who with an inflated sense of self-importance declares himself a god, only then to descend into madness. Tableaux with ceremonial gestures and poignant music, such as the famous chorus “Va pensiero” sung by the imprisoned Hebrews, are combined with scenes of intense expression, filled with drama and passion.

Nabucco

Unter den Linden & Bebelplatz

Lucia di Lammermoor

San Carlo Theatre

The American Symphony Orchestra joins Francesco Lanzillotta for a festive gala concert featuring stars of the opera world: Sondra Radvanovsky, Thomas Hampson, Asmik Grigorian, Nadine Sierra, Brian Jagde, and Anita Monserrat. The program features a carefully curated selection of operatic masterpieces and works infused with the spirit of Christmas and holiday cheer.

Conductor

Francesco Lanzillotta

Events

Upcoming events

16 - 23 May, 2027

Falstaff · Teatro Massimo

Past events

9 - 14 Oct, 2026

The telephone & Trouble in Tahiti · Teatro La Fenice

Sep 20, 2026

Concert 1 · Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi di Trieste

Future and recently performed repertoire

Conductor in Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti

Teatro di San Carlo

Conductor in Falstaff by Verdi

Teatro Massimo

Conductor in Trouble in Tahiti by Bernstein

Teatro La Fenice

Conductor in La bohème by Puccini

Fondazione Arena di Verona

Conductor in The Telephone by Menotti

Teatro La Fenice

Conductor in Nabucco by Verdi

Staatsoper Berlin

About

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