Italian Conductor Fired for Conducting Blindfolded to Protest Controversial Production

Maestro Alberto Veronesi conducted the opening night of Italy’s Puccini Festival wearing a blindfold to protest a production of Bohème featuring anti-fascist imagery.

Wait… what?: Christophe Gayral and Christophe Ouvrard’s production of La bohème transports Puccini’s work to Paris in the 1960s. It features scenes and imagery depicting the “French May,” a period of political unrest during which far-left student groups protested capitalism, fascism, consumerism, and American imperialism. Maestro Alberto Veronesi donned a blindfold to conduct during these scenes. Audience members reportedly shouted, “Buffone!” (clown) and “Scemo!” (imbecile) from their seats, to which Veronesi replied that he didn’t want to watch the production’s political scenes.

Why does it matter?: The Italian Secretary of State for Culture, Vittorio Sgarbi, reportedly asked Veronesi not to conduct the production, which Sgarbi called “not art, but a political rally to criticize the government.” (NB: Far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is currently also under pressure to fire Sgarbi for recent vulgar and sexist remarks.)

The Italian opera scene has been increasingly political as of late, with singers refusing to appear in the famed Arena di Verona Opera Festival following soprano Anna Netrebko’s appearances in blackface.

Veronesi, who reportedly still managed to successfully conduct the orchestra and singers, has been fired and replaced by Manlio Benzi. However, Veronesi still plans to show up at the podium and has threatened legal action if he’s not allowed to perform.

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Sara Schabas

Sara Schabas is a Dora-nominated soprano, writer and yoga teacher. She has performed and created leading roles with companies including Vancouver Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, the Dayton Opera, and Aspen Opera, and is a former member of Barbara Hannigan’s Equilibrium Young Artists. Currently based in Montreal, she is a doctoral student at McGill University — where she recently received the Wirth Vocal Prize — and editor of Art Song Canada magazine.