The 92nd season of the Arena di Verona鈥檚 internationally-renowned Lyric Festival opens next Friday, June 20.
Un ballo in maschera by legendary opera composer Giuseppe Verdi opens the season, followed on June 21 by Georges Bizet鈥檚 Carmen, which this year is celebrating 100 years since it was first staged at the Arena.
For the 2014 season, the Arena will feature six operas between the 20th of June and the 6th of September: Verdi鈥檚 Un Ballo in Maschera and Aida, and Bizet's Carmen will premiere in late June, followed by Puccini's Turandot in early July, Puccini鈥檚 Madama Butterfly and Gounod's Rom茅o et Juliette in August.
The program also includes 鈥淧lacido Domingo canta Verdi鈥 on July 17 when the Spanish tenor, directed by Daniel Oren, will sing celebrated pieces from Verdi鈥檚 operas, and 鈥淩oberto Bolle & Friends鈥 on July 22, a dance show starring the talented Bolle, 茅toile at Milan鈥檚 La Scala Theatre and principal dancer with New York鈥檚 American Ballet Theatre.
Each summer, the Arena welcomes nearly 500,000 visitors. The audience set-up for the opera features seats on risers following the curve of the area and modern orchestra seating, as well as unreserved seating along the original stone steps of the area, which are lit with candlelight after sundown.
Tickets are available through the , and we have a complete guide to choosing an opera and preparing for the show.
