A beginner's guide to the Verona Opera Festival

The famous Italian composer, Guisseppi Verdi once said ‘You may have the universe if I may have Italy.’ His country obviously felt the same about him, because in 1913 the Verona Opera Festival was founded to celebrate the composer’s birth.

Every year since then (with the exception of the war years and 2020) the music of Verdi, along with Puccini and other great names, has filled the remarkable ‘arena’, where Roman citizens once thrilled to a very different form of entertainment.

Never seen an opera? No problem. While once opera may have been regarded as the preserve of the cognoscenti, a night at Verona soon dispels any such concerns.

The beauty of Verona is that it really doesn’t matter – just the sheer magic of the arena, the orchestra and the spectacular set will be enough to keep you enthralled. Not to mention the candlelit walk to your seat and the sonorous baritone filling the hushed stadium – the Romans certainly knew a thing or two about acoustics.

With seating for up to 20,000, people throng each evening to this first-century amphitheatre during July and August to hear some of opera’s greatest arias in one of the world’s most unique venues.

As you enter the arena through one of the many openings that dot its circumference and climb the steps, you find yourself on the threshold of another world.

Whether your seat is one of the modern fold-down metal seats affording what some may regard as the best view, up ‘in the Gods’ on the Roman stone steps, or in the stalls in the arena centre to see and be seen, the atmosphere is unforgettable.

To alert the audience to the impending opera, a gong is sounded three times by one of the cast. And here we must pause to consider that opera at Verona is not amplified – no microphones, no sound system – just the singers and the orchestra and yet despite the size of the arena, it is relatively easy to hear.

Whether this is the case for those seated at the top it’s hard to say, but would not be surprising if it were.

As the orchestra tunes up, the conductor is greeted with typical Italian enthusiasm, cries of ‘bravo maestro’ filling the air (and they really mean it), and then it begins… During the overture you’ll find yourself fumbling for the candle you were given as you entered.

Once lit it joins thousands of others, twinkling and lending a unique magic to the arena as the music takes over. By the time the first words are sung, the audience are enrapt and you’re hooked.

What is so refreshing about Verona is the enthusiasm of the audience. Each aria is applauded (or otherwise) and there’s a wonderful tension as thousands of people listen to the world’s greatest vocal music.

As for the operas themselves, every one is different, every one as exciting as another. As to the operas themselves, every one is different, every one as exciting as another.

At the end of the evening, which isn’t usually until after midnight, the audience make their way out into the Piazza Bra – the square that lies beyond the arena ­– and meander back to hotels and guest houses in the early hours.

If you’d enjoyed a pre-opera drink beforehand in one of the many cafes lining this charming square, you may well have encountered scenery from a previous opera which had been craned into the square, masquerading as a form of ad-hoc sculpture.

Stand beside it and you realise the huge scale of the scenery and props needed to fill the arena stage.

Beyond opera and the arena lies the enchanting city of Verona. Historic and with a beautiful heart, it’s a city rich in associations.

This is where Romeo and Juliet loved and lost, and from where Shakespeare’s two gentlemen based their pursuit of love.

It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site where 2,000 years of history await you, Roman remains sitting happily alongside Renaissance and later buildings.

At Casa di Giulietta you can gaze at the balcony where Romeo declared his love to Juliet. And those looking for a spot of romance can surreptitiously stroke the statue of Juliet in the hope that some of the passion rubs off!

Casa di Giulietta is one of many medieval and Renaissance buildings that combine to create a city of cinematic beauty.

And when the pace of city life gets too much, it’s not far to the chic shores of Garda, Italy’s largest lake, where you can kick-back with a gelato and listen to the laughter, birdsong and natural sounds of summer. Ah, la dolce vita…

1. In Roman times they didn’t go in for padded seats – so make sure you take a jumper or scarf to sit on, although cushions are available to hire for a few euros.

2. Avoid high heels – there are lots of stone steps into the amphitheatre so you’ll be thankful for your flatties!

3. Enjoy a hearty lunch – performances typically start at dusk and finish very late.

Experience a night at the Verona opera yourself on a special interst holiday