Verona Revisited

The last time I visited Verona, the world was a very different place.  2018 was a hopeful time although, of course, we had no idea that the world’s path would be altered so dramatically since then.  My plan had been simple after my first Opera, Aida in 2018…..get back to lovely Verona and it’s magnificent first century Arena as fast as I could to experience one of the great venues and spectacles in the world.  

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So, as 2020 started, that very plan was in place….Puccini’s Turandot in August would be my follow-on to Aida and I would be refreshed and exhilarated by it all over again from not just the Opera but also the incredible city of Verona and the unique Verona Roman Arena.  But, of course, that is not how it played out.  The world took a different path and by late spring of 2020, I was informed that, for the first time since WWII, the Verona Arena Opera season was no longer on the schedule as Italy was in the grips of the full brunt of the pandemic.  Sometimes, seemingly important things are so much less so when bigger world events intercede….world wars and pandemics can do that.   

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While 2021 is certainly not “pandemically” unblemished, Italy is crawling out from under it and so, hope was renewed and I found myself in beautiful Verona in late August in pursuit of the Opera Nabucco by Giuseppi Verdi.  It is a story of Nebuchadnezzar II and his persecution of the Jews in Babylon.  Of course, there is a intertwining relationship between Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter and heiress and a Jewish slave which vastly complicates things for those involved.  And then, there is the half-sister, Abigalle who finds out she is actually child of slaves which hinders her ascension to the throne.  In short, things are complicated and timeless.  

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That “timeless” point is important.  This production of Nabucco was a “stylized” version, applying the story to Nazi Germany.  Not that any story of slavery could be bright and cheery but this application is especially dark.  It is probably fortunate that in this COVID world where efforts for social distancing are in play even in the Opera, the uncharacteristically sparse cast and sets fold neatly into the dire concentration camp scenes.  Having said all that, it is still a very compelling production…interesting and innovative….and I think it makes a case that most opera/dramas, even those written in the 1840s about ancient events, are adaptable to any point in history because they tell a universal story of the human condition.  

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I have come to know that attending an opera it is akin to witnessing a three ring circus; maybe even four or five rings. From the lovely gong lady confidently striding out to alert the crowd that the next act is about to begin, to the orchestra up front in their pit blending their rich notes, the chorus along the margins giving dramatic voice to set the mood and the magnificent sets and voices and costumes of the main actors, each piece plays their glorious part . I enjoy being front and center to be able to take in all of this equally. If in the right spot, it all comes at you, blending equally to visually and audibly inundate your senses. In this performance, the orchestra conductor, Daniel Oren, was as much a part of the show as any of the leads. His very strong personality and energy whilst conducting was amazing to watch up close. Honestly, I have never seen a conductor with such a magnetic personality; instead of being off-putting which it could have been, in this case, it greatly added to the performance. With all this stimuli, I never forgot I was in this amazing venue.  As you might remember from my Aida Opera blog entry, the Verona Arena is a very special place. Along with the city of Verona, this is an Unesco World Site and both never fail to awe me.

Another very special place I revisited in conjunction with the Opera was a pre-opera dinner at Tre Marchietti, a half block away from the Arena.  It is a joyous place…an old school Italian restaurant….great service, lovely cuisine, wine glasses a large as your head and an extensive book-like wine list.  But all that is secondary because what is most special to Tre Marchietti is it’s tie to the opera.  At some point during your dining experience, some of the staff assembles, with wine glasses in hand, and gives a series of credible operatic performances to their adoring diners.  It is really a magical moment and their big voices in a small venue are powerful.  I cannot recommend this enough.  

Verona is one of my very favorite places on earth.  It is endlessly beautiful and amazingly walkable…..the perfect size with numbers of very good restaurants (Cafe Monte Baldo, Ristorante Maffei and of course, Tre Marchetti to name a very few) and bars (the Terrace atop the Hotel Due Torre is especially great for views and drinks).  High level shopping abounds both in luxury shops and boutiques and history is all around you as you walk the streets and find special and lovely spots at every turn.  My last morning there, I walked the city before most of the inhabitants were stirring and it is then that it is at its most pleasant I believe. Strolling through the central Piazza delle Urbe, normally choked with locals and visitors, was almost vacant and thus, exceedingly more intimate. ….its earth toned colors of ochre and umber radiating in the soft morning light.  The Adige River, fed by the snow melt of the Alps to the north, rages around the inverted “U” that envelopes and caresses the city….beautiful houses and villas stacked upon each other and overlooking the tumbling waters…flowers and vines cascading from their window boxes like colorful waterfalls.  We are fortunate that Verona escaped the modern development in the aftermath of WWII…instead, there was a conscientious and loving effort to preserve the setting and not allow it to be defaced by “progress”.  It is a destination not to be missed.  

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Things that are designated “timeless” are that for a reason.  The Verona Arena, the Arena Opera season and Verona itself, are all in that category in my estimation.  But here is the thing…..timelessness isn’t always guaranteed….it can be taken away from you and me as it was in 2020.  Now though, you have a second chance to luxuriate in those timeless pursuits but with an increased urgency and appreciation…..you will not be disappointed I can assure you.