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Teachers and young students from nursery, primary and lower secondary schools in Verona, the Province and surrounding areas have tried to answer this question through the InCanto School project organized by the Municipality of Verona in collaboration with the Arena Foundation. The teaching method, already tested in numerous Italian cities and proposed for the first year in Verona, it aims to introduce and excite the little ones to opera, the most complete art form that combines theatre, dance, music and literature, recognized by UNESCO intangible heritage of humanity.
This year the protagonist of the InCanto School project was the unfinished masterpiece of the genius from Lucca which in a month will open the 101st edition of the Opera Festival in the Arena. The process began in October 2023 with the training of teachers through singing education meetings and to music to bring them closer to the plot, metrics and melody of the work.
The Europa InCanto trainers then held workshops in the classes of Veronese schools, accompanying the memorization and perfecting the performance of the pieces of the opera, revealing its secrets and curiosities. To facilitate the project, teachers and students had access to a book and an app that supported them in the different learning phases. But, as with great stars, it is the staging that crowns a long work of study and commitment.
On Thursday 2 May, with two shows which will be held at 10.30 and 12.30, more than 600 girls and boys will take to the stage of the Philharmonic Theater for the first time and will propose to the audience the performance of a special version of Turandotwith special choreographies and costumes created by them, taking on the role of the people of Beijing. Fairytale China, the three enigmas, an ice princess, love and courage: these are the ingredients of Turandot, Puccini’s masterpiece which blows out one hundred candles this year. The cast of young opera singers will be directed by the Concertmaster and Conductor Germano Negri, leading the Europa InCanto Orchestra. Francesca Paoletti will take on the title role, while the young lover Calaf will be the tenor SeJoon An. The sweet Liù will be Cecilia Taliano Grasso, while Timur will have the voice of Luca Sozio. The ministers Ping, Pong and Pang will be played respectively by Gianluca Failla, Francesco Cuccia and Paolo Mascari.
The cast is completed by Giovanni Adbbadessa’s Emperor and Francesco Nuzzi who will lead the narration. The direction of the show is entrusted to Germano Neri, with the Stage Director Sofia Neri, the assistant director Angelica Azzellini and Teresa Gasperi Head of Tailoring. Tickets for the shows are still available, to be purchased by sending an email to biglietteria@europaincanto. it or directly at the Philharmonic ticket office on the day of the show. Boys and girls will be able to live an all-round experience, taking part in the show in all its phases, as well as creating the program of works that make Verona the heart of every summer international opera: musical preparation, direction, creation of sets and costumes, up to staging on the largest stage under the stars in the world.
