Zelmira, a 360-degree wonder: at the ROF, an innovative work that captivates the public.
August 10, 2025
The avant-garde scenography of Zelmira at the ROF in Pesaro
Pesaro, August 10, 2025 – A revolutionary stage design. The avant-garde set design for Zelmira , the debut premiere of the 2025 Rossini Opera Festival tonight, attracted far more than just opera lovers. Today, at 7:00 PM, ladies and gentlemen trickled into the Scavolini Auditorium , quickly sweeping the red carpet. While the Rossini-loving audience is now pleasantly accustomed to the involuntary competition in elegance between Paola Tittarelli – president of the Friends of the Rossini Opera Festival – and heiress Cecilia Matteucci – a collector of fashion and unforgettable haute couture pieces – the arrival of Governor Acquaroli was equally captivating.
The regional president had been in Pesaro for the ROF the same year as the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, in 2021. Those who expected the arrival of MEP Matteo Ricci , former mayor of Pesaro and the outgoing president's regional challenger, were disappointed. For a month, the Democratic Party leader has been calling for a public debate between Acquaroli and the two on the priority issues for the development of the Marche region, probably seeking to gain the upper hand through a "clash" of political solutions . But last night, there wasn't even the shadow of a chance meeting on the red carpet between the two—both in Pesaro, but in different locations. We asked the two contenders what a festival like the ROF represents for the Marche region and what they would promise if elected to lead the region. The first to respond was Acquaroli, elegant in a midnight blue suit: "The ROF celebrates the greatness of the Swan," he said, "it is a strong lever for tourism; for the cultural heritage and economy of the area, which draws energy from the authentic passion for great music. We included it in the latest commercial for the Marche region . We are aware of having an enormous heritage that we must increasingly support and promote."
Ricci, however, conveyed his idea from a completely different context. Creator of the "Night of Candles," the former mayor preferred to wear informal clothing and wander around in the magical, yet more popular, atmosphere of the Night of San Lorenzo. "The ROF has been a global excellence since 1980 ," Ricci noted, speaking from a government perspective. "It's the Marche festival with the greatest capacity to attract foreign tourists. It's therefore an exemplary experience to support and make a pilot, given that the Marche is currently the third-to-last region in Italy in terms of foreign visitors . The ROF will be at the heart of the new cultural revitalization project for the Marche: to develop the tourism sector, for which we have tremendous growth potential."
Tonight the audience had the opportunity to experience something unique, new even for artists like Anastasia Bartoli , who returned to the ROF for the third time, as the undisputed star of the show, playing the title role, Zelmira. Adding prestige to the audience were Senator Liliana Segre , Prefect Emanuela Saveria Greco , soprano Cecilia Gasdia , Superintendent of the Arena di Verona Foundation, and music lovers from all over the world.
The new production, staged by director Calixto Bieito (making his debut at the ROF), allowed anyone seated in the former hangar to see everything that happened on stage; regardless of order or ticket price, without the imaginary fourth wall, but with a 360-degree view. A 350-square-meter central platform, the size of a basketball court and 1.2 meters high, hosted the orchestra and singers. For the first time in 46 years, thanks to the extraordinary capacity of the new auditorium—it seats 1,500—it will still be possible to purchase a ticket and attend one of the remaining dates of the Zelmira (August 13, 16, and 19). The box office is not yet sold out, unlike the operas scheduled at the Rossini—750 seats—which sold out almost immediately. The evening reached a Rossinian crescendo with a post-festival event at Ratti.
İl Resto Del Carlino
