Inspired by the life of the poet André Chénier at the time of the French Revolution, Giordano’s opera with libretto by Luigi Illica, faithfully portrays in detail the story of the protagonist, his love for Maddalena di Coigny, his arrest as a counter-revolutionary and their final hours. Teatro Comunale di Bologna’s 2022 production is conducted by resident Ukrainian music director Oksana Lyniv with an authentic staging by Pier Francesco Maestrini and a distinguished cast.

The Orchestra and Chorus of the Petruzzelli Theater in Bari perform “The Labyrinth of Crete,” an opera for children written and directed by Nicola Piovani. Two clowns, Don Cosimo and Papèla, tell the story—loosely based on the exploits of Theseus—who, chosen to be sacrificed to the Minotaur, faces the monster with the help of Ariadne.