Italy’s most controversial conductor lands good dates

Italy’s most controversial conductor lands good dates

Orchestras

norman lebrecht

January 30, 2024

There is no question that Beatrice Venezi divides opinion whenever she raises a baton.

Daughter of a neo-fascist politician and herself a personal friend of prime minister Meloni, Venezi has just been invited to conduct the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra.

She is also being tipped for a booking the historic Teatro Massimo in Palermo.

Ms Venezi is an advisor to the Minister of Culture.

The Sicilian musicians say: ‘It’s not about politics, she just can’t conduct… Gestures not coordinated with the score.’

 

Comments

  • Edoardo says:

    Conductor?

    • Tammo Schurr says:

      Opera magazine clearly thought so. This is what they wrote when she conducted at Opera Holland Park in 2021.

      “Rarely performed in Britain but now on its third iteration at Opera Holland Park this time in an idiomatic orchestral reduction conducted by the inspirational Italian Beatrice Venezi in her UK debut.”

      Check out the rest of the reviews, equally as glowing. But what do the Brits know, eh?

    • Sue Sonata Form says:

      Yes, on the Padua rail line.

  • Kyle says:

    Not going to comment on her merits/demerits but just a correction that the dates are not in the future but in the past. The symphony concert was two weekends ago (I was in town – did not attend). She doesn’t have any upcoming engagements at the Massimo (I was also there and have the full season program in my hands). The concert was at the other large 19th century theater – the Politeama, which is home to the symphony orchestra.

  • Save the MET says:

    So she’s now the casa nostra conductor. How fitting.

  • Zandonai says:

    Another woke-appointed conductress.

    • Kapellmeister says:

      Brother, are you not able to read ?
      she is the daughter of a neo fascist politician, is your brain so rooted with alt-right mass media that you can’t even spot simple nepotism without saying some social media induced spasm only because it’s a woman ?

  • Alondro says:

    Is she the Italian version of Alondra de la Parra?

  • IP says:

    Any Viotti-style pictures?

  • Edo says:

    Anybody can land a date somewhere. The real problem is getting a second one…

  • Richard says:

    Political contacts can greatly help a conductor’s career… for a while.
    Let’s see what this conductor will be doing after the present government falls.

  • Vovka Ashkenazy says:

    Meloni is not “neo-fascist; where did the author get that absurd notion from? The mainstream. leftist, media?

  • Mark says:

    Oh! My!! God!!! Someone is doing an amazingly good job of putting a strong case against female conductors: https://youtu.be/EOOXwn50JU8. It is not the way it was supposed to look like.

  • Marco says:

    In Europe, there are two types of fascists: the first are the actual fascists, and the others are the antifascists. That’s why I am anti-Bonapartist.

  • MOST READ TODAY: