13-30 May. Conducted by Riccardo Muti, directed by Cesare Lievi, with Leo Nucci, Aquiles Machado and Dimitra Theodossiou.

This work, which premiered in Rome in 1844, centres on the tragic figure of the Doge Francesco Foscari. This historical character loses his son and then his power before finally dying of grief. The task of bringing this gloomy melodrama to life falls to conductor Riccardo Muti and singers Leo Nucci, now specialised in complex, tormented parts, Dimitra Theodossiou, a soprano who has performed well in Verdi’s other early work, and tenor Aquiles Machado, who is able to deliver clear high notes and subtle changes of tone. Paolo Di Nicola.