Beatrice Venezi named Music Director of La Fenice amid controversy

The Fondazione Teatro La Fenice has announced the appointment of Beatrice Venezi as its next Music Director. The decision was presented as unanimously approved by the Foundation’s president, the Mayor of Venice Luigi Brugnaro, and the board of directors. Venezi will officially assume the post in October 2026, with a mandate extending until March 2030.

Controversy around the decision
The announcement has drawn criticism from within the theatre. The unions at La Fenice denounced the lack of consultation with the orchestra and staff, arguing that the appointment was imposed “from above” despite earlier promises of a longer process with multiple candidates. According to local press, the musicians have even raised the possibility of strike action in protest.

Italian media have also highlighted Venezi’s past role as adviser to the Ministry of Culture (2022–2024) and her closeness to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, adding to the debate about the transparency of the recruitment process.

Career background
A graduate with honours from the Milan Conservatory, where she studied piano, composition, and conducting, Venezi has conducted both operatic and symphonic repertoire. She has led nearly one hundred productions and more than 250 concerts, working with ensembles such as the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, the National Theater of Korea, the New Japan Philharmonic, and La Fenice itself. She has collaborated with artists including Plácido Domingo, Vittorio Grigolo, Kristine Opolais, Aida Garifullina, and Valentina Lisitsa.

She has also been Principal Guest Conductor at the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago and Artistic Director of the Taormina Arte Foundation. Since 2024, she has served as Resident Guest Music Director of the Orquesta Estable of the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.

Venezi’s reaction
In a message shared on her social media, Venezi welcomed the appointment “with emotion and gratitude,” describing La Fenice as an institution she has “always admired with great respect for its quality and prestige.”