Rossini’s Il turco in Italia arrives at the Teatro Filarmonico in Verona in Roberto Catalano’s production, featuring a very solid vocal cast.

The penultimate title of the season, Il turco in Italia takes the stage at the Teatro Filarmonico, a theatre particularly full of audience members, once again confirming the vitality of Rossini’s work—still not present enough on our opera stages.

Roberto Catalano’s staging, already appreciated in Rovigo last season, appears here more mature, more fluid, and perfectly calibrated to the dimensions of Verona’s stage: a broader space that allows scenic movements, relationships between characters, and the metatheatrical dramaturgy to breathe naturally. Rossini and Romani’s intricate dramma buffothus becomes a hall of mirrors exposing today’s desires, masks, and disharmonies. Catalano’s interpretation immerses the characters—especially the protagonist Fiorilla—in a society dominated by appearances and the commodification of emotions. An effective choice that updates the opera’s subtext without betraying its lightness. Guido Buganza’s set design and Ilaria Ariemme’s costumes create an immediate visual language through recurring use of colour: the “Italians” are enveloped in dominant yellows, present in clothing, furnishings, and even in Fiorilla’s consumerist objects of desire (coffee pots, toasters, perfumes, clothes, and the accessories of four variety-show dancers with sequins and ostrich feathers), almost a signal of vitality and, at the same time, chaotic domestic exuberance. This chromatic vibrancy is counterbalanced by the blue frame recalling the sea of the “lonely place outside Naples” mentioned in Romani’s libretto: a broader horizon, a space of elsewhere and adventure. The contrast between saturated yellow and clear blue creates a coherent and impactful palette, contributing to a recognisable visual identity that is anything but stereotypical or old-fashioned.

On the musical side, Lü Jia’s conducting is overall brilliant and lively, attentive to maintaining a smooth theatrical flow and a clear musical texture. The conductor favours brisk tempos, vertiginous accelerations, and an overall luminous interpretation—qualities that pay due tribute to Rossini’s spirit. However, in the interaction with the singers, some slight imprecision emerges: in certain passages the performers do not seem fully aligned with the conductor’s gesture, as if a final layer of cohesion were still to be refined, perhaps a sign of a not particularly long rehearsal process. The Orchestra of the Arena Foundation delivers a solid general performance, with strong sections and a homogeneous sound, despite the horn’s mishap in the long solo of the overture. An isolated episode—more unfortunate than indicative—that does not compromise the overall quality of the orchestral performance. The male chorus of the Arena Foundation provides a correct musical contribution, although not always impeccable in precision and rhythmic tightness. Nothing serious, but noticeable in an opera requiring lightness and surgical rhythmic accuracy.

The vocal cast, completely renewed compared to Rovigo, is instead one of the production’s strong points. Sara Blanch is a textbook Fiorilla: crystalline voice, generous breath, impeccably controlled agility, and a magnetic stage presence. A true Rossinian primadonna—she receives the most heartfelt and enthusiastic applause after her big scene in the second act—she brings the capricious, irresistible character to life without slipping into caricature. Beside her, Dave Monaco delivers the most convincing performance: his Narciso is in a state of grace, thanks to a luminous timbre, full high notes, elegant phrasing, and a perfectly idiomatic style—not to mention his great stage flair. He is an authentic tenore di grazia, combining softness and brilliance, mastering Rossini’s writing with natural ease and musical intelligence. The other performers are also strong: Carlo Lepore brings vocal authority to his Selim—perhaps not very affable and a bit too controlled; Fabio Previati is a measured Geronio, both in the pathetic and comic aspects; while Marianna Mappa (Zaida) and Matteo Macchioni (Albazar) effectively complete a well-balanced cast.

Much applause at the end, with warm enthusiasm for the performers and only a few sporadic signs of disapproval for the directing team.

By Stefano Nardelli

Ph © Marcello Orselli