A rich program at the Rome Opera House: discover the magic of opera, ballet, and great music at the historic Costanzi Theatre.
Teatro dell’Opera di Roma has gained an increase in international prestige over the years, hosting performances by world-renowned artists such as Caruso, Gigli, Del Monaco, Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, Montserrat Caballé and Raina Kabaivanska, as well as acclaimed orchestra conductors Toscanini, De Sabata, Klemperer, Abbado and the Master Riccardo Musti since 2008. And the 2024-25 season is no exception.
The upcoming season promises a rich tapestry of surprises and renowned figures in the musical landscape. It will feature globally acclaimed directors such as Peter Sellars, Romeo Castellucci, and Calixto Bieito. Tributes will be made to celebrated choreographers like John Cranko, Pierre Lacotte, and Roland Petit, and masterpieces by Renato Guttuso and Emanuele Luzzati will be revived. Musical director Michele Mariott will present four new opera productions and two concerts, joined by renowned conductors. The season will also feature star vocalists like Anna Netrebko, Eleonora Buratto, and Angela Meade, as well as exceptional dancers including Nicoletta Manni, Friedemann Vogel, Madison Young, and Julian MacKay.
The 2024-25 season will include 11 new productions, comprising 9 operas and 2 ballets, for a total of 12 opera titles, 7 ballets, and 6 concerts. Compared to the previous year, the program will add three new opera titles, one ballet, and one concert, resulting in 17 additional performances. The season will conclude, during the Jubilee year, with the Caracalla Festival, entirely curated by Damiano Michieletto.
INSPIRATION
The best theaters and opera houses in Rome
Opera
The new season of the Opera di Roma opened on November 27 with Giuseppe Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, conducted by Michele Mariotti in a new production featuring a stellar Italian cast.
One of the highlights is the return of Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca to the Teatro Costanzi, celebrating its 125th anniversary. The opera will be performed in three cycles: January 14–19, March 1–6, and May 9–13, 2025, under the baton of Michele Mariotti, Francesco Ivan Ciampa, Daniel Oren, and James Conlon.
After a 45-year absence, Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia, inspired by Victor Hugo’s drama, returns to the stage in a new production directed by Valentina Carrasco, from February 16 to 23.
From March 18 to 26, Alcina by Händel makes its debut at the Costanzi, marking its first-ever performance in Rome, 290 years after its premiere.
The “Recomposed Triptych” project concludes with Suor Angelica by Puccini, paired with Il prigioniero by Luigi Dallapiccola, from April 23 to May 2, under the artistic vision of Calixto Bieito.
From June 5 to 12, the celebrated production of Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri, featuring sets and costumes by Emanuele Luzzati and Santuzza Calì, will be presented in collaboration with Teatro Massimo in Palermo.
In June, Bizet’s Carmen returns to the Costanzi with the iconic 1970 production designed by Renato Guttuso, running from June 21 to 28.
Deborah Warner directs Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, based on the novella by Henry James, from September 19 to 28 with Henrik Nánási conducting.
In tribute to Kaija Saariaho, Adriana Mater will be performed for the first time in Italy, directed by Peter Sellars, from October 9 to 16.
Romeo Castellucci will debut at the Costanzi with Stabat Mater, featuring music by Pergolesi and Scelsi, at the Baths of Diocletian from October 26 to 31.
At the Teatro Nazionale, two productions stand out: Mozart’s Il re pastore, running May 14–23, and a double bill pairing Janáček’s Diary of One Who Disappeared with Poulenc’s La voix humaine, from October 18 to 24.
Dance
The traditional holiday ballet opens the dance season with Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, choreographed by Paul Chalmer. Performances run from December 15 to 24, 2024.
For New Year’s, The Bat, a humorous ballet created in 1979 by Roland Petit and inspired by Johann Strauss Jr.’s operetta, takes the stage. Set in the lively atmosphere of the Belle Époque, the ballet will be conducted by Alessandro Cadario. Performances start on New Year’s Eve and run through January 5.
The third title of the dance season is Carmen, choreographed by Jiří Bubeníček, on stage from January 26 to 31.
Building on the success of recent seasons, the Dance Triptych format, championed by Eleonora Abbagnato, doubles this year. The first triptych will take place at the Nuvola in EUR from March 2 to 5.
Returning to the Costanzi after nearly 30 years is John Cranko’s masterpiece Onegin. Based on Pushkin’s novel and set to music by Tchaikovsky, the ballet is a perfect example of “dance drama” with narrative brilliance and emotional depth. After its premiere on April 3, performances continue until April 9, with Philip Ellis conducting.
The second triptych, scheduled at the Costanzi from May 20 to 25, features works by three major contemporary choreographers: Dawson / Lightfoot – León / Ekman.
The dance season concludes with a tribute to Pierre Lacotte, a master of repertory reconstruction who passed away in April 2023. Marco Spada, recreated by Lacotte in 1981 for the Rome Opera with Rudolf Nureyev in the title role, will be on stage from October 25 to 31.
Concerts
Five concerts are scheduled featuring the artistic ensembles of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma.
The series begins on December 8 with Michele Mariotti conducting Schubert’s Entr’acte No. 3 from Rosamunde, Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, Eroica. On Saturday, March 22, Mariotti returns with Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem.
On April 28, the National Baroque Orchestra of Italian Conservatories, conducted by Ignazio Maria Schifani, performs Alessandro Scarlatti’s serenata La gloria di primavera in honor of the 300th anniversary of the composer’s death.
On May 10, James Conlon leads a performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47 on the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death, paired with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67.
The series concludes on September 26, with young conductor Diego Ceretta making his debut at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. The program includes Brahms’ Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77 and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7.
Summer Season
Also in the summer 2025, the Opera House returns to the traditional stage at the Baths of Caracalla with performances of ballet, music, opera and extras between June to August. Some of the featured titles include the ballet Carmen and a tribute to Puccini with performances of Tosca and Turandot, all under the creative direction of Massimiliano Fuksas.
Teatro Costanzi
Piazza Beniamino Gigli
For the full program: operaroma.it
We will be traveling to Rome in May 2019. We wish to attend a performance, and look forward to doing so. We will be booking soon. Thanks.