Carmen flies to New York, La Bohème to Spain, and Nabucco tours Europe from September

Three dates and three sold-out performances. A total of 30,000 spectators packed the Arena over two weeks to see Georges Bizet's Carmen, directed by Franco Zeffirelli. A timeless success, ready to conquer another corner of the world.

On Sunday, August 3, the Arena's blockbuster will arrive in the heart of New York. Thanks to the collaboration between Carnegie Hall and the Arena Foundation, at 5 p.m., the opera recorded in the Scala amphitheater, with Elīna Garanča in the lead role, will be screened in Bryant Park.

Directed by Marco Armiliato, the production features tenor Brian Jagde in the role of Don José, baritone Claudio Sgura in the role of Escamillo, and soprano Maria Teresa Leva in the role of Micaela.

The Carnegie Hall+ streaming channel is organizing its first free outdoor film screening to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the opera and Bizet's death, as well as the 30th anniversary of Franco Zeffirelli's production at the Arena.  The film, directed by Tiziano Mancini, is a co-production of UNITEL, ZDF, and 3sat, and is produced in collaboration with the Fondazione Arena di Verona. Carmen's enchanting “Habanera” and Escamillo's fiery “Toreador Song” will captivate American audiences. They will continue to thrill spectators at the Arena for another five dates. The next performance is tonight, Saturday, July 26, at 9:15 p.m., with Alisa Kolosova, Roberto Alagna, Mariangela Sicilia, Luca Micheletti, and numerous artists in supporting roles (Koberidze, Cappiello, Antem, Pittari, Sagona, Mastrotaro). Maestro Francesco Ivan Ciampa will conduct the Fondazione Arena Orchestra.

On Thursday, August 7, it will be the turn of Giacomo Puccini's La Bohème, directed by Alfonso Signorini. The opera will be screened at the Cervantes Hall and the Aragonia Cinemas in Zaragoza, Spain.

The initiative is part of the ‘Festival Oh!Pera Summer 25’ programme, an event that brings together, for the second consecutive year, some of the most significant opera productions of recent years, filmed in legendary European locations such as Salzburg (Austria), Verona (Italy) and Versailles (France), which will be shown on over 60 selected screens throughout Spain. La Bohème, which will return to the Arena stage in 2026, was recorded at its debut last year by Unitel and features Juliana Grigoryan, Eleonora Bellocci, and Vittorio Grigolo.

In September, it will be the turn of Giuseppe Verdi's Nabucco, staged by Stefano Poda, ready to tour throughout Europe thanks to Rai Cultura's images and the support of Rai Com. From September 1, the new production of the 102nd Opera Festival will be broadcast in the Czech Republic, followed by Serbia and then Greece. A calendar that will be enriched with new destinations and screenings in the coming months.

The Arena di Verona Opera Festival 2025 counts on the support of numerous sponsors, first and foremost UniCredit, which boasts a collaboration spanning over 25 years, followed by Calzedonia, Pastificio Rana, Volkswagen Group Italia, DB Bahn, Forno Bonomi, Numia, RTL 102.5, Genny, which has designed the uniforms for the staff welcoming the public, and Müller, which supports accessibility projects dedicated to people with disabilities. Official partners include historic brands such as Veronafiere, Air Dolomiti, A4 Holding, Metinvest, SABA Italia, SDG Group, Sartori di Verona, Palazzo Maffei, and Mantova Village. As well as Caviar Service, ManPower Group, Consorzio di Tutela dell’Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP, and Ferroli. In addition to companies, individuals, and professional associations that make up the Membership 67 Colonne per l'Arena di Verona, founded by Gianluca Rana of the pasta factory of the same name and Sandro Veronesi, owner of the Oniverse Group, with the Athesis Publishing Group as media partner.