A new production conducted by Michele Mariotti and staged by Damiano Michieletto marks the return of Wagner’s opera to Rome after five decades
A new production
The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma opens its 2025–26 season on 27 November with a new staging of Richard Wagner’s Lohengrin, returning to the Costanzi for the first time in fifty years. The production, conducted by Michele Mariotti, the company’s Music Director, and staged by Damiano Michieletto, is presented in coproduction with the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia and Teatro La Fenice in Venice. Five performances are scheduled through 7 December, with the opening night recorded by Rai Cultura and later broadcast on Rai5, RaiPlay, and Radio3.
Mariotti takes on Wagner for the first time
For Mariotti, this Lohengrin marks his first venture into Wagner’s repertoire. In statements to ANSA, he described the opera as “a thriller”, noting that “Elsa is accused of killing her brother. Lohengrin decides to defend her without asking for anything in return”. The conductor – whose career has taken him to the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Salzburg and beyond – emphasized the emotional tension at the centre of the drama, particularly the duet between Elsa and Lohengrin.
Michieletto explores the opera’s psychological dimension
Stage director Damiano Michieletto, one of Italy’s most acclaimed opera directors, also approaches Lohengrin for the first time. Speaking to ANSA, he remarked that confronting Wagner requires “finding a concept and a narrative that maintains tension and creates visions from an epic story”. His production seeks to generate a dialogue “between an abstract space and the emotional depth of the characters”, restoring their humanity, desires and vulnerabilities. With this new staging, Michieletto returns to the Costanzi after opening the 2017–18 season with La damnation de Faust, a production awarded the Premio Abbiati.
Cast and creative team
The title role is sung by Dmitry Korchak, who makes his role debut as Lohengrin. Jennifer Holloway appears as Elsa von Brabant, alongside Tómas Tómasson as Friedrich von Telramund and Ekaterina Gubanova as Ortrud. Clive Bayley performs the role of Heinrich der Vogler, with Andrei Bondarenko as the King’s Herald.
The production brings together Michieletto’s regular collaborators: Paolo Fantin (sets), Carla Teti (costumes), Alessandro Carletti (lighting) and Mattia Palma (dramaturgy). The Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma are conducted by Mariotti, with Ciro Visco as Chorus Master.
Performances
The premiere takes place on 27 November, followed by performances on 30 November, 2 December, 5 December and 7 December.
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