Teatro Regio Torino Will Open Season in October

Teatro Regio Torino will open its 2026-27 opera and ballet season with new productions of Pietro Mascagni’s “Cavalleria rusticana” and Ruggero Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci” as part of the Verismo Festival. The double bill will begin performances Oct. 15 at Teatro Regio in Turin, Italy, with additional performances scheduled through Nov. 21. The festival will continue with productions of Leoncavallo’s “La bohème” and Mascagni’s “Iris,” bringing four operas by the two composers to the theater during the opening weeks of the season.

“Cavalleria rusticana,” a one-act opera with music by Mascagni and a libretto by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci based on Giovanni Verga’s short story, follows Santuzza as she confronts Turiddu after discovering his relationship with Lola. The production is directed by Daniele Menghini, with sets by Davide Signorini, costumes by Nika Campisi, choreography by Marco Caudera, lighting by Gianni Bertoli and dramaturgy by Michele Panella. Andrea Battistoni will conduct the Teatro Regio Orchestra, Chorus and Children’s Chorus.

The “Cavalleria rusticana” cast includes Ekaterina Semenchuk and Maria Teresa Leva as Santuzza; SeokJong Baek, Amadi Lagha and Angelo Villari as Turiddu; Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar and Simone Piazzola as Alfio; Elena Zilio and Agostina Smimmero as Lucia; and Veta Pilipenko as Lola. Semenchuk will perform the Oct. 15, 24 and 30 and Nov. 7 and 21 performances, while Leva will appear Oct. 18 and 22 and Nov. 14.

“Pagliacci,” a prologue and two-act opera by Leoncavallo, centers on Canio, the leader of a traveling troupe of performers, and his wife Nedda. The opera moves between the performers’ real lives and the play they stage, ultimately blurring the distinction between the two. The new production is directed by Francesco Micheli, with sets by Signorini, costumes by Giada Masi, choreography by Matteo Ceccarelli, lighting by Bertoli and dramaturgy by Panella.

The “Pagliacci” cast includes Carolina López Moreno and Maria Teresa Leva as Nedda; Martin Muehle, Carlo Ventre and Gregory Kunde as Canio; Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar and Fabián Veloz as Tonio; Matteo Mezzaro and Matteo Falcier as Peppe; and Joshua Hopkins and Rodion Pogossov as Silvio. Muehle will perform Oct. 15, 24 and 30 and Nov. 7, Ventre will perform Oct. 18 and 22 and Nov. 14, and Kunde will perform the Nov. 21 performance.

The double bill will be presented Oct. 15 at 7 p.m., Oct. 18 at 3 p.m., Oct. 22 at 8 p.m., Oct. 24 at 3 p.m., Oct. 30 at 8 p.m., Nov. 7 at 8 p.m., Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 21 at 8 p.m. Young Previews of both operas are scheduled for Oct. 13 at 8 p.m., with advance tickets for the Young Preview priced at €10 for eligible audiences under 30.