Music in Venice

One of our favorite performances several years ago was to go to a performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons performed by a group using period instruments. The venue was in the Scuola San Rocco, a location we were hoping to see for its extensive Tintoretto paintings on the second floor which were available for viewing during the intermission. It was an incredible performance in a stunning venue. We went back about 5 years later and there were no such performances available at the Scuola but I check every time we are in Venice.

MusicinVenice does opera “in situ”, rotating between La Traviata, Rigoletto, and the Barber of Seville.

https://www.musicinvenice.com/search-musical-events-concerts.html?filtro=2&chiave=1&id_gruppo=8340&chiave=Musica%20a%20Palazzo,%20Venezia&#:~:text=Musica%20a%20Palazzo%20offers%20the,by%20Giuseppe%20Verdi%20on%20Friday.

Here is the website for the Scuola Grande Vivaldi concerts mentioned by Mona:

https://www.imusiciveneziani.com/en/concerts/a-vivaldis-four-seasons/

And of course there it “real” opera at La Fenice. We saw an amazing production of Carmen’s there. I believe they have concerts as well as opera in that venue.

If the opera is in season I strongly recommend anything on offer at La Fenice. It's a lovely experience no matter what the opera happens to be.

The costumed operas rotating from room to room are pretty, but the quality of everything at La Fenice is so much better--world-class singers, directors, staging. If there are any performances when you will be there, that would be your best bet. You can find their site online and order tickets, which you should do as soon as you can. The theater was rebuilt after a disastrous fire several years ago, and it was rebuilt "dov'era, com'era"--where it was, as it was. It's a gorgeous jewelbox worth seeing apart from the performance, but even better then.

You can find their site online and order tickets, which you should do as soon as you can.

Thanks, but can someone provide a link for the performance?

I found this, concert directed by Juanjo Mena for October 18th at La Fenice. Is this what is being recommended? I just don't know anything about opera.

https://www.teatrolafenice.it/en/whats-on/

This doesn't link directly to the site but to a search page where you can click on the theater. When you do that, you can choose English at the top right, and there's a link to "What's On." That should take you to a current calendar, but you can choose the month you'll be there and see what the performances are. If you click on one, you'll have a link to buy tickets.

Hope this helps!

That doesn't sound like an opera title. You really should try to see one there, and Wikipedia can give you background information on opera in general and the one you have tickets for.

Hi Tammy. Is this what you’re looking for? Fenice performances and you can book ticket on the website.

https://www.teatrolafenice.it/en/new-season-2024-2025/

Have a great trip!

I just checked the two links--both are costumed performances of music, that would probably be nice, but not nearly the quality of a real opera at La Fenice! Better than nothing, but worth trying to see if you can get tickets.

And I guess the link works better when posted! It takes you to the right page. Good luck!

October 18 is a Rachmaninoff concert. The actual opera performances at La Fenice do not start until 20 November with Othello.

Lola, would your recommend the Racmoninov concert?

So this looks to be ok, is this what folks are recommending?
https://www.imusiciveneziani.com/en/concerts/a-vivaldis-four-seasons/

I don't see the Rachmoninov concert? Lola, can you give me a link? My husband said he would prefer that over Vivaldi.

Tammy, when will you be in Venice? Under What's On in the link I sent, I found performances of Turandot in September, but no more opera until November, when both Otello and La Traviata are on.

And I agree with your husband--the Fenice site didn't give the program for the concert with Rachmaninoff (also a modern composer, Lutoslawski), but I'd rather hear than than yet another version of The Four Seasons, which is the most likely Vivladi to be performed!

https://www.teatrolafenice.it/en/event/juanjo-mena-conducts-rachmaninov-and-lutoslawski/

Here's the link to buy tickets for the October 18 concert, and it had the program. The Rachmaninoff is his third piano concerto, which is a fabulous piece--very difficult and a challenge that many pianists prefer to avoid! The pianist apparently won a price in Italy. If this is the time you have, this is, in my opinion, much better than costumed Vivaldi. It's a great piece and you'd be in the beautiful theater.

Lois, thank you so much. That is what we are going with. We are in Venice for 4 nights. October 17, 18, 19, 20.

I'm sure you'll enjoy it, even if it isn't an opera! If you're in other cities in Italy, you might be able to see one there--where else are you going?

Lois, we purchased the tickets, thanks for your help, we are looking forward to it. We leave Venice and go to Verona (3 nts), Bologna (3 nts) and Florence for 4 nights. If you have any other suggestions for those cities, love to hear them!

Unfortunately, no opera in any of those. Verona has a festival in the Arena di Verona during the summer--we went once to see it and it was so hot we're not likely to return! No opera in Bologna and Florence during your dates as they have more limited seasons. La Scala in Milan has lots of performances, but you aren't there. I'm sure you'll enjoy the concert in La Fenice, and have a great rest of your trip!

Tammy, do you have the rooftop terrace at Fondaco dei Tedeschi on your Venice itinerary? It is lovely viewpoint, free to visit, but you must have a reservation for a timed entry slot. They open up 3 weeks in advance and the late afternoon slots go quickly—-especially the last entry if it is around sunset.

https://www.dfs.com/en/venice/service/rooftop-terrace

I see the afternoon slots for July 2 (3 weeks from today) are already gone, by 8 am here in Seattle. That is because of the time difference between here and Italy. They release the slots sometime after midnight in Italy, so it is still afternoon or evening the previous date here in the US. So if you wish to go on October 19, for example, you would start looking for the reservation late in the afternoon (Alaska time) on September 27.

Lola, excellent suggestion and I'm going to go for it! I know you have been to Venice many times. This is my second visit, (first was 40 years ago for like one day) and my husband's first. I mostly have an itinerary, but room to add things if anything else (special) comes to mind! I've read lots of the forum posts on Venice. I'm so excited to go. This is what I have planned;
Secret itineraries tour of Doge's Palace (still need tickets)
Rick Steves guided tour on Vaparetto down the Grand Canal
Concert Rachmoninov
St. Mark's Basilica
Rick's guided tour of Frari church
bar & tapas tour with Alessandro
Peggy Guggenheim museum
and then lots of time to wander