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The eighth edition of the Stone Theater Opera Festival is definitively established as one of the most colossal, eagerly awaited and deeply evocative events in the cultural and musical panorama of the entire Mediterranean. Year after year, this extraordinary event has been able to accomplish an authentic artistic miracle: restoring a living soul to the most precious and majestic archaeological sites of the ancient world, fusing the age-old sacredness of history with the primordial and immortal strength of great music. For the 2026 season, the Festival inaugurates its highly anticipated opera section under the sign of myth, rebirth and the purest tradition of Italian melodrama, choosing for its debut the most epic, magnetic and universal setting that history has given us.
On Saturday 18 July, at 9.00 pm, the spotlights will turn on the immense rock embrace of the Greek Theater of Syracuse for a staging of Giuseppe Verdi’s Nabucco destined to remain engraved in the memory. The event promises to be of exceptional historical significance: it is in fact the only, exclusive opera title included in the programming of the 2026 summer season inside the Arethusean temple, as well as an extraordinary premiere performance in recent times in the Syracuse cavea, restoring the theater to its natural and noblest dramaturgical vocation.
In this space where time vanishes and the past dialogues with the present, Verdi’s masterpiece will be transformed into a profound collective ritual thanks to a brand new and impressive scenographic production of the Festival, conceived by the creativity of Matteo Capobianco. The scenes will float and integrate with the classical architecture, enhanced by the sumptuous and solemn historical costumes designed by Sonia Cammarata and the vibrant, evocative play of chiaroscuro by light designer Gabriele Circo.
Salvo Dolce’s intimate, visionary and timeless direction will lead an international cast of absolute prestige and extraordinary vocal caliber. The evening will be sealed by the highly anticipated and historic debut of the world opera star Elena Mosuc in the dramatic and difficult role of Abigaille. Alongside her, the powerful expressive force of the baritone Badral Chuluumbaatar will give body and torment to King Nabucco, while the hieratic and profound authority of the bass Khurelbaatar Oyunchimeg will take on the role of the prophet Zechariah. Completing this exceptional parterre are the acclaimed talent of Enea Scala in the role of Ismaele, the lyricism and grace of Anna Pennisi in the role of Fenena and the rigorous interpretations of Pietro Di Paola (Abdallo) and Xue Jia (Anna).
The titanic musical scaffolding will be supported by the excellence of the resident Symphony Orchestra of the Lyric Festival of Teatri di Pietra, guided for the occasion by the prestigious and passionate baton of conductor Salvador Vasquez, capable of imparting the original fire and drama of the young Verdi to the score. The stage action will be further embellished and made fluid by the plastic movements of the resident dance troupe, which will give life to the original and suspended choreographies born from the inspiration of Sarah Lanza.
But the true beating heart, living soul and voice of the historical memory of the drama will be, as per glorious tradition, the Sicilian Lyrical Choir. The award-winning formation, led with iron dedication by Francesco Costa and Alberto Munafò, will be called upon to make every single thousand-year-old stone vibrate, elevating the immortal and heartbreaking melody of “Va, pensiero” not only as a musical page, but as a universal invocation of freedom and hope, an ancestral song capable of forever binding the hearts of spectators to the infinity of the starry sky of Syracuse.