Conductor Beatrice Venezi has issued a public message of gratitude to her supporters following the controversy that led to the cancellation of her appointment as music director of Teatro La Fenice in Venice.
In a post published on Instagram on 5 June, Venezi said she had received “thousands of messages” in recent weeks and thanked those who had expressed affection, support, and solidarity following her dismissal from the Venetian opera house.
“I have read every word with attention and gratitude,” she wrote.
The statement marks a noticeably softer tone than the one adopted in interviews following her departure from La Fenice. In late April, the theatre announced the immediate termination of all future collaborations with Venezi, citing public remarks that it considered damaging to the institution and its orchestra. The decision cancelled her appointment as music director, which had been scheduled to begin in October 2026.
Days later, in an interview with Corriere della Sera Venezi accused the theatre of allowing a climate of hostility towards her and criticised political figures she felt had abandoned her after the controversy. She also confirmed that legal action against the foundation was under consideration.
In her latest message, however, the conductor focused on the encouragement she has received from supporters, particularly women who told her they recognised aspects of their own experiences in her professional journey.
“Many wrote to me saying that they saw in my experience something that also spoke about theirs,” Venezi said.
She added that she intends to continue pursuing her career with the same determination that has guided her until now.
“I will continue to work, to study, and to defend with serenity and conviction the values in which I believe,” she wrote.
The dispute between Venezi and La Fenice has become one of the most closely watched controversies in the Italian classical music world this year, prompting debates about artistic leadership, institutional governance, and the relationship between culture and politics.
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