Italy: Venice celebrates 1,600 years with concert in St Mark’s Square

Venice: Venice opera house La Fenice celebrates the 1,600th anniversary of the founding of the lagoon city, with a gala concert scheduled for the evening of Tuesday 8 September and dedicated to Venetians.

Soprano Claudia Pavone and tenor Piero Pretti will take to the stage together with the orchestra and choir of La Fenice which will perform pieces from the operas of Verdi, Rossini and Puccini.

“For the occasion” – announces the mayor Luigi Brugnaro – “400 seats have been allocated to residents of Venice, so we can celebrate this highly symbolic event together”.

To participate in the draw of 200 invitations for two people each, it is possible to register until 23.00 on 3 September on the page dedicated to the event on Venice’s city website. The winners will receive tickets by email.

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“In these times, when we resolutely want to restart” – declared the superintendent and artistic director of La Fenice, Fortunato Ortombina – “I think it is essential to talk again with our city.”

“Venice has been a hotbed of priceless musical inventions, and since 1996 La Fenice has never returned in its entirety, with its staff and its choir, to play in Piazza S. Marco” – said Ortombina – “This is the occasion to be able to do it and to reaffirm that historical and emotional bond that the Teatro has always had with Venice.”

The grand event is part of the celebrations to mark 1,600 years of Venice – founded according to tradition on 25 March 421 – ahead of the anniversary in 2021.