by InTrieste
Interviews: Stefania Panighini – Stage Director and professor, known for her research-based approach to opera direction; Enrico Calesso – Music Director of the Fondazione Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi di Trieste and conductor of Tosca
The Fondazione Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi di Trieste will inaugurate its summer season on June 29 with a new open-air production of Tosca in the historic setting of the Cortile delle Milizie at the Castello di San Giusto. The production marks a renewed commitment by the Verdi Opera House to establishing a permanent summer presence in one of the city’s most striking architectural spaces.
Designed specifically for the castle’s courtyard, the staging of Tosca features a new technical setup aimed at elevating the acoustic and visual experience to match international standards for outdoor opera. The initiative reflects a broader strategic investment by the theater to enrich Trieste’s cultural offerings during the summer months and to cultivate what organizers describe as a “new tradition” in the city’s artistic landscape.
Leading the Orchestra, Chorus, and Technical Team of the Verdi Foundation is Music Director Enrico Calesso, returning to Tosca after previously conducting it at the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago. He described the San Giusto courtyard as an “ideal setting” for the opera’s dramatic narrative.
Stage direction is entrusted to Stefania Panighini, a scholar and director known for blending faithful interpretation with a contemporary sensibility. Her vision incorporates the grandeur of Roman baroque art—particularly the work of the Carracci—as both a visual backdrop and a thematic lens for exploring the opera’s central character, Floria Tosca, and her complex portrayal of femininity and power.
Set design is by Nicolò Cristiano, a frequent collaborator with the Verdi theater and a key figure in shaping the visual language of its recent productions.
The new Tosca not only signals the return of opera to one of Trieste’s most evocative venues, but also underscores a long-term commitment to embedding live performance within the city’s historic and public spaces. Organizers hope the summer program will continue to draw both local audiences and international visitors, positioning Trieste as a prominent destination on the European opera circuit.
