MAIN EVENTS

Great emotion at the San Carlo Theatre, full in every order of seats.
Mameli's anthem, the audience on its feet. And five minutes of applause. This is how the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella is welcomed at the San Carlo for the premiere of Verdi's Otello, directed by Mario Martone.  The Head of State was received at the entrance of the theatre by the mayor of Naples, Gaetano Manfredi, the president of the Campania Region, Vincenzo De Luca, the prefect Claudio Palomba and the superintendent of the Neapolitan Massimo, Stephane Lissner.
There is a Western army in the Middle East, we see soldiers scrambling to make a career. A decidedly different scene from the original performance at La Scala on 5 February 1887. a predictable triumph, even then. "For music and drama intertwine and clasp each other in indissoluble knots", the opera's timeless summary. "Esultate", "Innaffia l'ugola" and the love duet in the first act, "Credo in un dio crudel" and "Sì pel ciel marmoreo io giuro", but also "Dio mi potevi scagliar", the "Canzone del salice" and "Niun mi tema" established its fame. With exceptional singers.
Jonas Kaufmann is the 'Moor' without the black face ('I couldn't and wouldn't want to anymore', says Martone). The star plays Otello with Yusif Eyvazov.
The guest of honour is President Sergio Mattarella. Mayor Manfredi shook his hand and accompanied him inside, already looking beyond: "For now we are content with one night, but Naples must always be the capital". Governor De Luca agreed. In the royal box, the President of the Chamber of Deputies Roberto Fico, Education Minister Patrizio Bianchi and Undersecretary Enzo Amendola.
The star in the audience is Toni Servillo, the actor greets the French ambassador to Italy, Christian Masset: he is expected in Paris on 7 December to present the film nominated for an Oscar by Paolo Sorrentino. Magistrates Federico Cafiero de Raho and Giovanni Melillo, and Rai's managing director Carlo Fuertes also arrive. On the balcony sit one hundred university and conservatory students, thanks to the supporters of Concerto d'imprese. And students from the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples engaged as interns on the new "On" platform for a training project on digital professions.
Roses were thrown at the end of the curtain and the Head of State was applauded as he left.