Opera di Roma’s Falstaff goes out live on Rai 3 as 1 November becomes its televised opening night

On 1 November 2026, Opera di Roma will mark a significant milestone by broadcasting its new production of Verdi’s Falstaff live on Rai 3, bringing the performance directly into homes across Italy and beyond. This broadcast, starting at 8.40 pm, represents the culmination of the company’s current run at Teatro Costanzi, with an additional evening specifically arranged to accommodate the live transmission.

Conducted by Michele Mariotti, the theatre’s music director, and staged under the direction of Tatjana Gürbaca in her Italian debut, this production sets the precedent for an annual tradition. Beginning with this event, Opera di Roma has committed to showcasing the opening night of each new season live on Rai 3 every 1 November. The upcoming seasons will continue this pattern with Mariotti conducting Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito in 2027 and Verdi’s Don Carlos (five-act French version) in 2028.

This initiative follows the previous year’s successful broadcast of Puccini's Tosca, which coincided with the opera’s 125th anniversary. The Tosca transmission drew nearly 600,000 viewers, signaling strong public interest and validating Opera di Roma’s efforts to leverage television as a platform for wider cultural engagement. Francesco Giambrone, the theatre’s sovrintendente, emphasized that the collaboration with Rai aims to democratize access to opera by delivering the theatrical experience into households, thereby bridging the gap between stage and audience.

Opera di Roma’s Falstaff has already attracted substantial attendance in the theatre itself, with over 10,000 spectators experiencing the production live. The cast features baritone Luca Salsi in the title role, an artist recognized internationally for his portrayals of Falstaff at major venues including the Vienna State Opera and the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona. Accompanying him are Maria Agresta as Alice Ford, George Petean as Ford, and Violeta Urmana in the role of Mistress Quickly, supported by Marina Monzò, Dave Monaco, and Carmen Artaza among others.

The production’s creative team includes Carlo Bosi, Paolo Antognetti, and Gabriele Sagona in supporting roles, with Ciro Visco leading the chorus. Visually, the staging benefits from Henrik Ahr’s set designs, Silke Willrett’s costumes, and lighting crafted by Stefan Bolliger, all contributing to a cohesive aesthetic that complements the opera’s intricate musical and dramatic textures.

From a musical perspective, Mariotti highlights Falstaff as a demanding and innovative score that challenges the orchestra with its virtuosic solo passages requiring precision, color, and imagination. He characterizes the work as a theatrical laboratory that, despite its comedic elements, carries Verdi’s nuanced blend of irony and subtle disenchantment. The opera’s structure and integration of orchestra and stage action mark it as a pioneering piece that foreshadows 20th-century musical developments.

Fabrizio Zappi, director of Rai Cultura, has reiterated the broadcaster’s dedication to making high-quality classical music accessible to a broad audience. The live broadcast of Falstaff underlines Rai’s commitment to demystifying opera, presenting it as a compelling art form that can engage both seasoned opera enthusiasts and newcomers alike through the powerful medium of television.

This evolving partnership between Opera di Roma and Rai 3 signals a renewed strategy for opera presentation in Italy, where televised performances could become a routine cultural event, enhancing public appreciation and participation. As this initiative unfolds, further details and ticket information for future live broadcasts will be available through Opera di Roma’s official channels.

The live event on 1 November 2026 at Teatro Costanzi not only spotlights a revered operatic masterpiece but also inaugurates a broader vision for opera’s place in contemporary media and society, promising increased visibility and inclusivity for one of Italy’s most treasured art forms.