Rovigo: the new season of “The dream that I would always dream of”

Rovigo: the new season of “The dream that I would always dream of”.

“THE DREAM THAT I ALWAYS WOULD LIKE TO DREAM”.

Il Social Theater of Rovigo presents itself to the city with the new season 2023-2024: a program full of novelties and illustrious guests which once again confirm the vitality and historicity of the prestigious traditional theatre, the third regional opera center after l'Arena di Verona, e La Fenice Theater Foundation. Rewarded by an increase in the ministerial FUS allocation of over 44.000 euros for the 2023 which brings funding back to 2006 levels, announces the Artistic Director Edoardo Bottacin, as well as the extraordinary support of the Veneto Region, the Cassa di Risparmio di Padova e Rovigo Foundation, the Banca del Monte di Rovigo Foundation, the Venice Rovigo Chamber of Commerce, together with a large group of companies and institutions that have accepted the invitation to join together to become part of the new artistic project of the Theatre, the Social presents itself to the city today with 8 new stagings for the opera seasona whirlpool bath, musical season of 2 titles, 8 events with prose and dance, 10 concerts ranging from symphonic to chamber music and gospel, one new jazz season, 14 events dedicated to schools and families, in addition to the traditional workshops, conferences and collateral events that will enliven the city from October 2023 to May 2024 for a total of over 70 events.

“It's with great pride – says the mayor Edoardo Gaffeo -, that we present this new theater season. The Teatro Sociale, a treasure chest of beauty, art and culture, is ready to welcome those who have the pleasure of participating with many, many prestigious moments. Culture generates sharing and is a driving force for growth for a territory. We are convinced of this and will continue to invest along the path we have outlined."

“We present a rich and truly exciting season – underlines the Councilor for Culture Benedetta Bagatin -, fruit of the precious work of the new artistic director Edoardo Bottacin and of the many synergies that have led to the creation of a calendar of tradition and innovation, but certainly of quality, as is right for a theater that boasts years of success. Thanks to the director Edoardo Bottacin, the director Micaela Pattaro and all the theater staff. Thanks extended to our partners and supporters who made this possible. Theater is magic, it is a dream, it is emotions that we want to share with all of you."

"Even this year – declares the Councilor for Culture of the Veneto Region, Cristiano Corazzari -, the curtain is ready to rise on the 2023-2024 theater season of the Teatro Sociale of Rovigo and a season full of novelties is announced. I wish good luck to the new artistic director Edoardo Bottacin and to all the artists and workers involved. The Veneto Region strongly supports the activities of the Teatro Sociale, which has been able to establish itself to become a point of reference for culture at a local and regional level. I thank the Teatro Sociale for the attention it reserves for children and schools this year too, young people are our future and culture is the lifeblood for their education, to become adults and aware citizens tomorrow".

“It is truly a great pride for the Venice Rovigo Chamber of Commerce – declares the president Massimo Zanon - be alongside the Municipality of Rovigo, together with the Veneto Region and other cultural and social institutions in the area, to renew support for the rich lyrical program of this Traditional Opera Theatre, which includes more than 200 seasons of great importance. In fact, it lies in Culture, the strong point of great appeal that Venice and Rovigo have in common and in which the Chamber invests for the development and valorisation of our territories".

The details of the season The opera season, as announced by the artistic director Edoardo Bottacin, opens in the name of Giacomo Puccini, with a new production of Tosca, the fifth opera by the composer from Lucca on a libretto by Illica and Giacosa elaborated on the subject by Sardou, which debuted on 14 October 1900 at the Costanzi Theater in Rome and which returns to the stage of the Teatro Sociale in co-production with the Teatro Mario Del Monaco of Treviso seven years after the last staging. Direction, sets and costumes are by Ivan Stefanutti and the cast includes the great internationally renowned tenor Fabio Sartori, already protagonist of the 2018 La Scala inauguration, joined in the title role of Francesca Tiburzi and in that of Scarpia by Sebastian Catana, already protagonist of the inauguration of the 2022 Social Club season. The Filarmonia Veneta Regional Orchestra, the Veneto Lyric Choir and the children's and youth choir of the F. Manzato Association are directed by Bruno Nicoli, former director of the stage musical ensembles of the Teatro alla Scala. The season opening is supported in particular by Banca del Monte di Rovigo Foundation, as he states Giorgio Lazzarini president of the Foundation which has always supported the Teatro Sociale, a traditional theater which boasts a very important and attractive history and role in the city's culture also for spectators from outside the province. As an institution strongly linked to the territory, there is no lack of support also for this Theater Season and in particular with regards to opera and the creation of the theater libretto. The Foundation, in promoting culture, hopes that this contribution will bring an increasingly larger audience closer to the Theatre.

Season continues on October 26th with the new chamber opera Stabat Mater, a 2023 commission from the Teatro Sociale of Rovigo and the companions Fabula Saltica to Paola Magnanini, based on the famous music of Pergolesi. The composition will unite in a single flow the sacred sequence performed by the Regional Filarmonia Veneta Orchestra and the State Conservatory Orchestra "Francesco Venezze”, directed by Gerardo Felisatti from Rovigo. The voices are those of Paola Gardina and Giulia Bolcato together with the Fabula Saltica dance troupe directed by Claudio Ronda who takes care of the direction and choreography. Thanks to the collaboration and co-production between the prestigious Portogruaro International Music Festival and the multidisciplinary season CortinTheatre of Cortina d'Ampezzo The famous Don Giovanni by WA Mozart goes on stage on November 10th with a children's preview on the 8th. “Don Giovanni” is the second of three playful dramas that Mozart wrote with a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, who drew on numerous literary sources of the time. On stage a cast under 40, which brings together many of Italy's brightest and most promising voices. Don Giovanni will be played by Christian Federici, a baritone from Gorizia who won the Toti Dal Monte International Competition in 2018, and will debut at La Scala in early 2023. Milano, while the Molise bass Rocco Cavalluzzi, considered one of the most interesting emerging talents, will take on the role of Leporello, Don Giovanni's servant. Elisa Verzier, thirty-year-old soprano from Trieste, winner of the first edition of the Bellini Opera Competition at the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania and of the 73rd edition of AsLiCo in 2022 and ready for her debut in La Scala for the inauguration of the 2023/24 season, she will be Donna Anna, while the soprano Valentina Mastrangelo, 34 years old, originally from Polla (Salerno) and already at home in the most prestigious Italian theaters and beyond, will be Donna Elvira. The cast will be completed by the tenor Giuseppe Talamo in the role of Don Ottavio, the Milanese bass Carlo Mal winter in that of the Commendatore, the baritone from Rovigo Francesco Toso in that of Masetto and the soprano Maria Chiara Ardolino, Venetian, in that of Zerlina. The musical part will be curated byRegional Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Massimo Raccanelli, while the choirs will be performed by the Kairos Vox Choir directed by Alberto Pelosin. Direction, sets and costumes are by Alfredo Corno. The third title of the season is Pygmalione by A. Ristori, an opera composed in 1714 for the city of Rovigo and in particular for the Manfredini Theatre. To the first edition and reconstruction in modern times being created and edited by the renowned Bernardo Ticci, the staging will follow on November 30nd and December 3st with the relative recording. The work also represents the closing of the first Gabbris Ferrari set design and costume competition, organized by our theater as the set designer and costume designer, Matteo Corsi and Elisabetta Nascimbeni respectively, are the winners. The direction is handled by Federico Bertolani, former stage director of the Verona Arena as well as a director who grew up professionally in Rovigo. In the cast led by the prestigious baton of Frederick William, some of the most representative voices of today's baroque repertoire: Silvia Frigato and Marina De Liso flanked by Bruno Taddia in the role of Pygmalione and the countertenors Niccolò Balducci, already winner of the famous PA Cesti competition in Innsbruck, and Antonio Giovannini. The program continues with the traditional event dedicated to operetta and curated byFantasia in Re association by Stefano Giaroli with the famous "A night in Venice” by J. Strauss. Only performance on date 15 December at 16.30 pm.

The new year begins with Puccini's masterpiece of Bohéme, a work that was born from a challenge between Giacomo Puccini and Ruggero Leoncavallo, who competed to write two homonymous operas taken from the same source at the same time and of which only the Puccini one had and still has global success. The new production Teatro Sociale of Rovigo, Municipality of Padua and Teatro Mario Del Monaco of Treviso with a staging inspired by an evolving Paris from which it clearly emerges that the Bohemians as they were narrated can no longer exist, brings on stage some stars of today's opera: Claudia Pavone in the role of Mimì and Stephen Costello in the role of Rodolfo, joined in the second cast by the young and promising winners of the 2023 auditions Davide Tuscano as Rodolfo in Caterina Marchesini as Mimì. Some complete the cast interesting young voices: Giulia Mazzola for the role of Musetta, recently acclaimed in the Arena di Verona at the Galà Domingo, William Allione Hernandez in the role of Schaunard, Alejandro Lopez Hernandez in the role of Colline, Enrico Di Geronimo in the role of Benoit/Alcindoro, Bruno Nogara in the role of Parpignol and Francesco Toso in the customs sergeant. Leading the Padua orchestra, the Lirico Veneto choir and the A.Li.VE children's choir. the baton of Francesco Rosa, a refined interpreter of Verdi and Puccini, recently returning from a personal success with Il Trovatore also in Rovigo. The direction is by Bepi Morassi, sets and costumes by Fabio Carpene. After the success of The Barber of Seville, another precious and rare title from Rossini's catalog will be staged in 2024: The Turk in Italy, second chapter of the Turcherie trilogy together with the Italiana in Algeri and Mozart's Ratto dal Serraglio. The new production by Teatro Sociale di Rovigo in co-production with the theaters of Novara, Rimini, Ravenna, Pisa, Jesi will bring to the city a cast that includes some of the most sought-after Rossini soloists today: Giuliana Gianfaldoni in the role of Fiorilla, Maharram Huseynov as Selim, Giulio Mastrototaro as Don Geronio, Bruno Taddia Prosdocimo, Antonio Garès Albazar and Francesca Cucuzza in the role of Zaida. The creative team is led by director Roberto Catalano, fresh from the success at 71st Wexford Festival Opera with the Fromental Halévy storm and from the successful debut in the opera season of the Teatro Regio of Parma with Il Matrimonio Segreto, Guido Buganza set designer, Ilaria Ariemme Costume Designer and Fiammetta Baldiseri Light Designer. The prestigious orchestra is in the pit L. Cherubini of Ravenna, Veneto Lyric Choir.

Last title of the season, the diptych Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini and Susanna's Secret by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari, a Venetian composer which allows you to open an in-depth window on 900th century Italy and in particular on the music of Venetian composers and on the most sought-after titles. A production that marks the start of a new professional training path supported by Adriatic LNG, the company that manages the regasification terminal off the Venetian coast and dedicated to orchestral musicians and which involves theVenetian Philharmonic Regional Orchestra, the Teatro Sociale and the Francesco Venezze State Conservatory. The production sees the cast alongside artists with renowned careers such as Biagio Pizzuti, Matteo Mezzaro, Silvia Regazzo and Valeria Girardello, young students from the Rovigo conservatory and young artists selected by other training institutions with a view to exchanging value and direct training on stage between different generations. The direction is by Anna Cuocolo, the scenes by Giulio Magnetto and the orchestra direction is by Elisabetta Maschio at the head of the Regional Filarmonia Veneta orchestra and the conservatory "Francesco Venezze".

“We enthusiastically welcomed the invitation to join the new artistic project of the Theater that the artistic director Edoardo Bottacin addressed to the entire community - he claims Alfredo Balena, of External Relations of Adriatic LNG- As a company integrated into the territory, committed to training, culture and the creation of development opportunities, we have embraced this spirit of participation not only through the support of a theater season characterized by innovation and effervescence, but also through our support of an initiative professional training aimed at young musicians who, following a selection, have earned inclusion in the Orchestra for the entire season. A concrete professional opportunity that fills us with pride: we can't wait to hear these young musicians perform in the prestigious setting of the Rovigo Theater.”

As a whole with these eight setups produced entirely by the scenography laboratory of Teatro Sociale, with the reopening of the tailor's shop for the production of costumes for Boheme, Pygmalione, Turco in Italia and partially for Don Giovanni, with a scenography and costume competition and, together with the professional training courses and curricular internships started with the Academy of the Teatro alla Scala, with the Ca Foscari University, with the University of Padua and with Afol Moda Milano, the Teatro Sociale of Rovigo confirms itself as a center that aims not only at large productions and prestigious artists, but also at launching young talents and the valorisation of the territory with its excellences. If the Opera Season presents itself as a season of excellence, the other Seasons are certainly no different, strong in prestigious collaborations.

Starting from the Multidisciplinary Regional Circuit Arteven whose deputy director Patrizia Boscolo declares: "Our collaboration in the conception and organization of the theater program at the Teatro Sociale of Rovigo dates back at least to the 1991/92 season. The positive synergy between Arteven and the Municipality of Rovigo has happily brought us this far: to the 2023/24 Season. Today it is with great satisfaction and a touch of pride that we present a calendar of nine shows that ranges from prose to dance to musicals. This year too, between performers and companies, titles, authors and directors, we have the pleasure and honor of bringing the best of the national and international scene to the stage of this beautiful theatre".

Curtain opening of the Theater Season on Sunday 12 November with Gianluca Guidi and Giampiero Ingrassia as Felix and Oscar, protagonists of the funny comedy “The Odd Couple” by Neil Simon. On December 15th it is the turn of Vanessa Incontrada and Gabriele Pignotta – in the triple role of author, interpreter and director – on stage with “Sorry, I'm in a meeting... I can call you back”, an acute comedy that invites us to reflect on the desire for success of our times. The new year opens on Friday 5 January with a classical ballet masterpiece loved by all: “Sleeping Beauty" danced by the Moscow Ballet – Russian Classical Ballet. Paolo Genovese signs his first theater direction by bringing to the stage, on January 19th, the adaptation of "Perfect Strangers", a brilliant comedy about friendship, love and betrayal with Paolo Calabresi. On Saturday 27 January there will be space for the energy of dance and humor with “Open”, which the choreographer and author Daniel Ezralow defines as “an antidote to the complications of life”. The 5 6 and March appointment with a musical that has united all generations for years: "Grease" in the staging of the Compagnia della Rancia directed by Saverio Marconi. A romantic and adventurous story, tender and at the same time violent “Cyrano De Bergerac” which, on March 17, Edoardo Fainello brings to the stage with the Centro Teatrale Da Ponte company. The great Ottavia Piccolo with the soloists of the Multiethnic Orchestra of Arezzo on Wednesday 27 March in Rovigo with “Cosa Nostra Explained to Children” by Stefano Massini, a civil theater show that gives body and voice to the story of a woman, of a city and of a year. The season ends on April 30th with Franco Branciaroli in the role of Shylock, a multifaceted, mysterious and cruel figure in his thirst for revenge  “The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare.

Great prestige also for the concert program with a parade of prestigious international artists such as The Toscanini Philharmonic Carolin Widman solo violin, the famous pianist Arcadi Volodos, the Scala quartet, the winner of the 2023 Busoni prize with the Orchestra Filarmonia Veneta and Jean Lisieacki with the OPV, in addition to collaborations with the Jazz Department of the conservatory and the Rovigo Jazz Club for the season jazz, but also musicals, Children's Theatre, schools and families and collateral events, for one Theater Season which truly embraces all genres and which wants to be the fulcrum of a cultural life for the city and with the city. Puccini's quote "The dream that I would always like to dream”, testifies Manuela Nissotti President of ASM Set, perfectly describes our state of mind in reading the booklet of the next Season of the Teatro Sociale of Rovigo: the programming could not be richer, and we are ready to get excited and ecstatic with events of the highest level , food for the soul of all spectators. AsmSet is proud to be able to offer its contribution again this year to one of the most prestigious cultural realities at a national level, which has been going on for a long time amazes its audience with a large-scale program and with events dedicated to young people and local excellence. Our energy for Social Theater of Rovigo, because AsmSet grows together with its Territory and we believe that art and culture are the main development tool of every Community.

The 23.24 Season of the Teatro Sociale of Rovigo is supported by:
Ministry of Culture, Veneto Region, Municipality of Rovigo.
Partner: Arteven, “Francesco Venezze” State Conservatory of Music of Rovigo, Associazione Musicale Venezze of Rovigo, Compagnia Fabula Saltica, MusikDrama, Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, Regional Orchestra Filarmonia Veneta, Orchestra of Padua and Veneto, I Virtuosi della Rotonda, Teatro La Fenice of Venice, I Solisti Veneti, Ente Rovigo Festival, Rovigo Jazz Club, Accademia dei Concordi, Dante Alighieri Association.
Sponsored by: Chamber of Commerce of Venice Rovigo, Cassa di Risparmio di Padova e Rovigo Foundation, Banca del Monte di Rovigo Foundation, Rovigo Cultura Foundation, Adriatic Lng, Banca del Veneto Centrale, Asm Set. Irsap spa.
Technical partners Play Piano pianos, Borsari pastry shop, Godot ice cream shop. Media partner La Piazza.

The image of the advertising campaign dedicated to the celebrations Puccinians, was entrusted to LUVOL, an emerging artist but already recognized internationally.

Details for the subscription campaign

Subscription campaign Lyric opens Monday September 18th
Subscription campaign Prose, Dance, Musicals opens Friday 20 October

BOX OFFICE
Phone 0425 25614
E-mail teatrosociale.botteghino@comune.rovigo.it

OPENING HOURS 9.00-13.00 / 15.30-19.30
Morning show days 8.30/13.00 – 15.30/19.30
matinees 9.00/13.00 -15.00/19.30 evenings 9.00-13.00 / 15.30-22.30
Day of chiusura: Sunday, open on Sunday show days with closing on Monday
following

OPENING OF THE BOX OFFICE OPERA - OPERETTA - CONCERT - JAZZ - CHILDREN'S THEATER SUBSCRIPTIONS AND SINGLE TICKETS
From 18/09/2023 to 20/09/2023 season ticket renewal reserved for season ticket holders of the 2022/2023 season
On 21/09/2023 and 22/09/2023 seat changes subject to confirmation of old season tickets
From 23/09/2023 to 26/09/2023 new subscriptions
Reduced season tickets open on 27/09/2023 and 28/09/2023
Opening of single ticket sales on 29/09/2023
Online ticket office opening on 30/09/2023

OPENING OF THE PROSE-DANCE-MUSICAL BOX OFFICE-SUBSCRIPTIONS AND SINGLE TICKET OFFICE
From 20/10/2023 to 23/10/2023 season ticket renewal reserved for season ticket holders of the 2022/2023 season
On 24/10/2023 seat change subject to confirmation of old season tickets
From 25/10/2023 to 27/10/2023 new subscriptions
Single ticket sales open from 28/10/2023
Online ticket office opening on 29/10/2023

PROGRAM:

OPERA AND OPERA
13/15.10 ALREADYCOMO PUCCINI TOSCA
26.10 GIOVANNI BATTISTA PERGOLESI STABAT MATER
10.11 WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART DON GIOVANNI
30.11/3.12 GIOVANNI ALBERTO RISTORI PIGMALION
10.12 JOHANN STRAUSS ONE NIGHT A VENEZIA
12/14.1 ALREADYCOMO PUCCINILA BOHEME
23/25.2 GIOACHINO ROSSINI THE TURK IN ITALY
19/21.4 ERMANNO WOLF – FERRARI THE SECRET OF SUSANNA GIACOMO
PUCCINI GIANNI SCHICCHI

ROVIGO CITY THAT READS PRESENTATIONS OF WORKS
9.10 TOSCA – 7.11 DON GIOVANNI – 27.11 PIGMALIONE – 8.1 LA BOHEME – 20.2 THE TURK IN ITALY – 16.4 THE SECRET OF SUSANNA GIANNI SCHICCHI

SHE LIKES…?

FACE TO FACE WITH THE GREAT INTERPRETERS OF OPERA 15.10, 3.12, 25.2, 21.4
THE STORIES BEHIND THE HISTORY 7.10 TOSCA, PUCCINI AND THE WOMEN 25.11 AN OPERA
TO START WITH... ROVIGO: THE PIGMALION OF RISTORI 13.4 GIANNI SCHICCHI, BETWEEN DANTE AND
PUCCINIA

AN ICE CREAM AT THE OPERA AND IF THE TITLE OF THE OPERA IN THIS SEASON WAS A
ICE CREAM FLAVOUR?
8.10, 26.11,18.2,14.4

MUSICAL
28.10 ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER JESUS ​​CHRIST SUPERSTAR
5/6.3 JIM JACOBS, WARREN CASEY GREASE

PROSE AND DANCE
12.11 GIANLUCA GUIDI, GIAMPIERO FRESSES THE ODD COUPLE
15.12 VANESSA INCONTRADA, GABRIELE PIGNOTTA SORRY I'M IN A MEETING...CAN I CALL YOU BACK?
5.1 MOSCOW BALLET SLEEPING BEAUTY
19.1 PAOLO CALABRESI PERFECT UNKNOWN
27.1 DANIEL EZRALOW DANCE OPEN
17.3 PONTE CYRANO DE BERGERAC THEATER CENTRE
27.3 OTTAVIA LITTLE WHAT OURS EXPLAINED TO THE CHILDREN
30.4 FRANCO BRANCIAROLI THE MERCHANT OF VENEZIA

CONCERT AND JAZZ
3.10 CONCERT CHOIR RATINGEN, GOVERNMENT CHOIR OF NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA, CHORAL ENSEMBLE OF THE FRANCESCO VENEZZE CONSERVATORY OF ROVIGO, TONHALLE DÜSSELDORF YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND BRAHMS' DEUTSCHES REQUIEM
20.10 ARTURO TOSCANINI PHILAMMONICA ROMANICE VIRTUOSISMS
1.12 THE VENETIAN SOLOISTS, GRAN TEATRO LA FENICE DI CHOIR VENEZIA MASS OF

GLORY OF PUCCINI
14.12 ARSENII MUN BUSONI AWARD, REGIONAL ORCHESTRA VENETIAN FILARMONY IN THE OLYMPUS OF BEETHOVEN
16.12 MAURIZIO GIAMMARCO & ONORATI–PAOLINI–SENNI TRIO PREMIO MARCO
TAMBURINI 2023
21.12pm THE MOUNT UNITY CHOIR GOSPEL CONCERT
1.1 REGIONAL VENETIAN PHILARMONY ORCHESTRA NEW YEAR'S CONCERT
21.1 QUARTET OF THE SCALA THEATER L'AMERICANO
9.3 ARCADI VOLODOS PIANO RECITAL
23.3 ORCHESTRA OF THE FRANCESCO VENEZZE DI CONSERVATORY ROVIGO IN
MEMORY OF LUCA SIMONCINI
8.5 JAN LISIECKI PIANO, ORCHESTRA BY PADOVA TIME VENETO CLASSICALFORMS

CHILDREN'S THEATER
A STAGE IN THE FAMILY
3.11 REGIONAL ORCHESTRA FILARMONIA VENETA PIERINO AND THE WOLF
16.11 DANILO ROSSI, REGIONAL ORCHESTRA VENETIAN PHILARMONY VIOLA
LOVE
24.3 THE VIRTUOSES OF THE ROTONDA COMIC MUSIC: GIACOMO PUCCINI AND… THEM
ANTS BY FABIO VETTORI
28.4 TOMMASO LUISON, MARCO FERRERO STRING ORCHESTRA OPV LE ADVENTURES
OF THE BARON IN THE RAMP

THE THEATER SCHOOL
10.10 TOSCA 8.11 DON GIOVANNI 28.11 PIGMALION 5.12 THEATER WORKSHOP
PERMANENT GUYS OGLIASTRA SAFE? SAFE! THE BRAND NEW
ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 9.1 LA BOHEME 23.1 COMPAGNIA FABULA
SALTICA TURN OFF THE LIGHT SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL AMONG TEENAGERS 21.2 THE
TURKISH IN ITALY 15.3 SUONAMIDITE ASSOCIATION A SMALL TRIP
PRINCE 17.4 THE SECRET OF SUSANNA GIANNI SCHICCHI