The Arena di Verona Foundation (Fondazione Arena di Verona) is preparing for the centenary of the Opera Festival with two contests that allow spectators to experience the opera firsthand.
The opera season opens on 16 June with a special Premiere (broadcast worldwide), but the Fondazione Arena itself is already decked out. After 100 seasons, 110 years, 60 operas and numerous ballets, concerts and gala evenings, this year the public will be able to experience the great world of opera even more actively. In fact, the Arena Foundation has announced two competitions: the first will give citizens the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of opera and wear its most sumptuous costumes; the second will entertain the Arena community with a match between all the arias that have captivated audiences over the last 100 seasons of opera.
The first contest is Modelli per una Sera, proposed by the Fondazione Aida (HERE the form) in collaboration with Fondazione Arena di Verona, which will allow you to wear the costumes that have marked the history of the Arena di Verona and have been used in the most successful installations.
The public will have the chance to play the iconic roles they have always admired, wearing some of the most choreographed costumes carefully selected by the Arenian tailors. The costumes will be those of the operas: Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, staged, set and costumed by Pier Luigi Pizzi; Verdi’s Traviata, staged, set and costumed by Hugo de Ana; Donizzetti’s Anna Bolena, signed by cult director Graham Vick, with Oscar-winning costumes by Paul Brown; Mozart’s Don Giovanni, staged by Maestro Franco Zeffirelli and costumes by Maurizio Millenotti.
An elegant fashion show that will take place on May 28 at 9pm in Villa Cà Vendri, one of the four dates of the XXIV edition of Sorsi d’Autore 2023. During the evening there will be also a concert for piano and voice offered by Fondazione Arena and some wine and food tasting. Gests will taste Sartori’s Arnea Soave Brut and La Cappuccina, a buffet created by De Angelis Food chefs who will present a fresh pasta, cheese tastings of the Consorzio Tutela Formaggio Asiago, Bibanesi Classic Smaller, De Eustacchio cold cuts, Verum beverage products.
You can participate in the contest by sending a form to fundatione@foundationeaida.it by Thursday, April 21.
On the other hand, the second Contest is the People’s Voice Award, which began on 16 April, the World Voice Day. It is a race that will reward the most difficult air performed in the history of the festival. Since 1913 the Arena of Verona has been home to the greatest choreographers, set designers, costume designers and performers but above all the amphitheatre has hosted the most impressive voices able to excite and move. Vibrant high and warm bass that, propagating in the Amphitheater, can join the amazement of the most varied audience.
It is precisely from there, from the power of aggregation of the voice, that the People’s Voice Award develops. On the model of a Wimbledon tournament, the stories of the Instagram page of the Arena have turned into a playing field. 100 songs that require agility, particular virtuosity and great vocal skills are competing for the gold medal. Everyone can vote and, just like in tennis competitions, there will be round of 16, quarterfinals, semi-finals and the highly anticipated final. All the steps will be documented in profile stories: an exciting tournament for the social community of the Arena that will decide the winner on June 15, just before the start of the season.
