11 May-7 July 2003. One of the longest-running arts festivals in Italy, the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino includes opera, symphonic concerts, chamber music, ballet, a dance gala evening and exhibitions. The operas this year are Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito (20 May-1 June) and Verdi’s Otello (17 June-1 July). The music section features the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale conducted by Paavo Jarvi on 30-31 May; the Quartetto Borodin (5 June); the Orchestra Nazionale della Rai conducted by Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos on 12 June; and a concert with the emerging violin virtuoso Leonidas Kavakos on 21 June. The dance section, presented as usual by the Maggiodanza Company, will comprise two new creations: Sheherazade with choreography by Gheorghe Iancu, and La bayadre with choreography by Florence Clerc.