Opera Under the Stars in Verona's Coliseum
- ItaliAndrea
- Sep 7
- 2 min read
Every summer Verona's remarkably well-preserved Roman coliseum, the Arena, hosts opera performances beneath the stars. We opted for Verdi's opera, Aida, and effortlessly selected our seats online using the seat map. Opening nights provide a great excuse to 'dress to the nines', with most opting for gowns and tuxedos even though it is not mandatory.
Unfortunately, the stars on that enchanting night were of the liquid variety—rain! If you read the fine print on your ticket they make it abundantly clear you acknowledge that the event is outdoors and thus there are no rain checks, pun intended! Additionally, due to weather, performances may begin up to 2.5 hours past the usual start time of 21:00, which is already a bit late for two jet-lagged travelers coming from the US a day prior.
It was delayed by an hour, but the show did go on! Of course, it's Italy so they were also offering prosecco and wine during the wait.
The storyline of Aida is that of star-crossed lovers (surprise) on opposite sides of a battle—in this case, an Ethiopian princess and an Egyptian military commander.
Both the sets and costumes are modern in interpretation. Svein and I are traditionalists, but since the arts are evolving, we are slowly adapting to the more modern interpretations.
Overall, witnessing the arena operate as the coliseum it was built to be was spectacular, even in the rain. We will be back for our own version of a rain check, this time to experience magical weather under the stars at an opera in the Verona coliseum! It's just a short one-hour drive away!
Comments