Arena di Verona Opera Festival, the 100th edition kicks off with Verdi's Aida. PHOTO

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A brand new set up of the most classic of works, theAida Of greensopened on Friday evening the 100th edition of the Opera Festival at the Verona Arena. An event they attended guests of the world of entertainment, politics and business, also celebrated with a spectacular flyover of the Tricolor Arrows while the choir, in tricolor cloaks, sang the Anthem of Mameli

Watch the VIDEO: “Arena di Verona, Aida inaugurates the 100th Opera Festival”

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Landlady, with a direct in worldview on Rai 1, it was Milly Carlucciflanked by Alberto Angela and Luca Zingaretti. She was an exceptional godmother of the evening Sophia Lorengreeted by a standing ovation upon entering the stalls and then forced to seek reopening for a few minutes due to the rain which delayed the start of the show

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Aida of the centenary at the Verona arena from the press office

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Own 70 years ago Sofia Loren had dressed the costumes of Aida, in the film adaptation of the opera directed by Clement Fracassilending its image to the voice of Renata Tebaldi

Renata Tebaldi, the story of one of the most loved opera singers of all time

The box of the authorities at the Verona Arena

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Verona Arena Foundation

They were at the Arena di Verona the presidents of the Senate and Chamber, Ignazio La Russa and Lorenzo Fontanathe ministers Adolfo Urso, Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, Luca Ciriani, Maria Elvira Calderone and Gennaro Sangiulianowith undersecretaries Gianmarco Mazzi and Vittorio Sgarbi

Macbeth, the opera by Giuseppe Verdi returns to the Teatro alla Scala in Milan

the presidents of the Senate and Chamber, Ignazio La Russa and Lorenzo Fontana, with the mayor of Verona Damiano Tommasi

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Verona Arena Foundation

Among the VIPs present American actor Matt Dillon, Amadeus“house” guest in his Verona like Jerry Calà and Gigliola Cinquettiand then Lino Banfi, Iva Zanicchi, Michael Placidothe writers Alexander Baricco and Marco Malvaldi, Mogol e morgan. (In the photo the presidents of the Senate and Chamber, Ignazio La Russa and Lorenzo Fontana, with the mayor of Verona Damiano Tommasi)

Matt Dillon, career and best films

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The short rain off schedule caused some discomfort, with the search for shelter for the unfortunate without an umbrella or raincoat. Those who had instead equipped themselves remained seated waiting for the symbol “Curtain Rising” of the amphitheater, conceived by Veronese tenor Giovanni Zenatello who in 1913, after throwing a chest C during a visit to the Roman amphitheater, had the idea of organizing the first opera festival there

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Verona Arena Foundation

After the small delay due to the rain, the traditional gong it played three times and Verdi’s masterpiece went on stage: on the futuristic stage the protagonist Anna Netrebkoflanked by the tenor Yusif Eyvazov (Radamès), con the orchestra of the Arena Foundation directed by Marco Armiliato, 160 musicians and as many choristers. The number of extras is also notable: 160 men and 45 women

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Also on stage Olesya Petrova as Amneris, Roman Burdenko such as Amonasro and Michael Pertusi in Ramfis robes

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The director Stefano Podamaking his Arena debut, also signed sets, costumes, lights and choreography. A spectacular setting made of laserreflections on a giant metal hand, ruins of Greek columns and simulacra of spaceships

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And the famous “triumphal march” has become a balletwhile the costumes reflected the rays of the floor transparent and the Ethiopian prisoners emerged from the bottom, like “zombies”

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A premiere that was also taken “outside” of the amphitheater, thanks to four big screens set up by the municipal administration in as many districts of Verona

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“The great Sofia Loren and the magic of the Arena di Verona are perfectly combined in one evening wonderful. It was an honor to accompany the legendary Sofiaone of the best expressions of Italian culture in the world”, commented the Minister of Culture on social media Gennaro Sangiuliano