Arena Opera Festival. The international collaboration for La Traviata presented at the Moulin Rouge in Paris

Present at the event were UNESCO representatives, authorities, sponsors and 67 Columns members, tour operators and international press

Opera and the French Cancan. Verdi's La Traviata and the dance that became the symbol of the Belle Époque. Two worlds brought together by music. And by a new artistic project.

Yesterday, in the heart of Paris, Fondazione Arena di Verona and the Moulin Rouge officially presented the extraordinary international collaboration that will give life to the new production of La Traviata, the opening title of the 103rd Arena di Verona Opera Festival.

For the first time in their history, two absolute symbols of world entertainment — the temple of opera and the most celebrated Parisian cabaret — have chosen to unite their artistic identities in a project destined to leave its mark. And yesterday's event was a testament to that. On the stage of the Moulin Rouge, Italian Bel Canto, recognised as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity, met the legendary French Cancan, for which a candidacy has been submitted: a dialogue between cultures, traditions, and artistic visions capable of becoming an event of international significance. Performing were soprano Martina Russomanno, who will sing Violetta at the opening of the 2026 Opera Festival, and tenor René Barbera, who will portray Alfredo during the summer season. Accompanying them at the piano was Cecilia Gasdia. Then came the artists of the Moulin Rouge, who brought the atmosphere to life with the most emblematic dance of the Moulin Rouge — the French Cancan — a triumph of music and colour.

In attendance were eleven UNESCO delegates, including Italy's representative Giulio Del Federico, the Italian Consul General in Paris Jacopo Albergoni, and the Cultural Adviser of the Italian Embassy in France Emanuele Oldani. Alongside them were representatives of ICE and ENIT, as well as some of the Festival's sponsors and 67 Columns members, numerous tour operators, and the international press.

Symbolically raising the curtain were Virginie Clerico, Marketing Director of the Moulin Rouge, with the presence of Jean-Victor Clerico, General Director of the historic Parisian venue — which has been owned for generations by an Italian family — together with Cecilia Gasdia, Superintendent of Fondazione Arena di Verona, and Stefano Trespidi, Deputy Artistic Director of the Foundation.

Right beneath the famous red windmill that has illuminated Montmartre since 1889, the vision for the new Traviata — directed by Scottish director Paul Curran — was unveiled. A monumental and entirely new production that will transport Giuseppe Verdi's masterpiece to the Paris of the Belle Époque and the overwhelming atmosphere of the Moulin Rouge in the early decades of the twentieth century.

The new staging, with sets by Juan Guillermo Nova, costumes by Stefano Ciammitti, and lighting by Fabio Barettin, has been conceived specifically for the immensity of the Arena di Verona's stage, where the magic of opera will meet the timeless allure of Paris. An artistic bridge between Italy and France, between opera and cabaret, between tradition and innovation.

"We are proud to have presented, in the heart of Paris, the new staging of La Traviata — a true declaration of love for opera and the city that inspires it," declared Superintendent Cecilia Gasdia. "Performing on this stage was an extraordinary emotion. I would never have imagined making my debut playing Verdi's music in such an iconic place, a symbol of an era of great artistic and cultural ferment. It was truly moving to create this connection between art forms, to bring to life a staging never seen before — a grand production that we hope will draw people from all over the world."

In his address, Deputy Artistic Director Stefano Trespidi highlighted the immersive and spectacular nature of the Arena experience: "Attending an opera at the Arena di Verona means embarking on a journey into Italian beauty. This collaboration with the Moulin Rouge holds extraordinary artistic and symbolic value: we wanted to create an unprecedented Traviata, capable of recreating within the Arena the atmosphere of the Parisian cabaret — glamour, passion, celebration, and tragedy. And from 12 June, everyone will be able to see it. It has been a work of historical reconstruction, and thanks to the collaboration with the Moulin Rouge, the result will be magnificent."

On the immense stage of the Arena di Verona, the nocturnal life of Montmartre will be reborn — the splendours of the Parisian Belle Époque and the legendary allure of the Moulin Rouge. An iconic venue that still unites entertainment and historical charm, and which, with pride, is collaborating for the first time with an opera-symphonic foundation. On stage, two elements that evoke its origins: the red windmill and the great elephant will once again take centre stage in the nightlife. The founders of the Moulin Rouge, Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller, had in fact purchased a gigantic stucco elephant they had seen at the 1889 Paris Universal Exposition. They added it to the Moulin Rouge's garden as an entertainment space, and it thus became one of the symbols of the era.

La Traviata made its debut in 1853 amid scandal and widespread failure, before being understood for its revolutionary scope — beginning with its protagonist, inspired by Dumas fils' Lady of the Camellias, which was in turn modelled on the real and controversial Alphonsine Plessis. Added to this was Verdi's own private life: then a widower, ostracised by his community for his relationship with Giuseppina Strepponi, who would become his lifelong companion. Violetta Valéry is the star of her world — yet a society that refuses to accept her story of love and sacrifice. And then there is Verdi's music: a "tinta" — as he himself declared — unlike any other opera, balancing realism and intimacy, in pursuit of dramatic continuity and with some of the most beautiful pieces in operatic history, from the Brindisi to Amami Alfredo, which have become part of our shared cultural heritage.

The Arena Opera Festival 2026 will open on 5 June with the special event celebrating the Intangible Heritages of Humanity: "Champions of the World. Italia loves UNESCO" and, over the course of more than three months, through to 12 September, will offer 53 evenings of performances. The programme features six opera titles, new productions, galas and special events spanning dance, symphonic music, and immersive shows.

Information
Press Office Fondazione Arena di Verona

Via Roma 7/D, 37121 Verona - ufficio.stampa@arenadiverona.it

tel. (+39) 045 805.1861-1905-1891-1939 -1847

National and International Press Office Skill & Music 

Firmina Adorno +39 339 6483224 - firmina@skillandmusic.com

Paolo Cairoli +39 331 8361276 - paolo@skillandmusic.com