The famous annual arts Festival of Spoleto, created by the late Gian Carlo Menotti in the perfectly preserved medieval town of Spoleto in Umbria, inaugurates this years edition on the 26 th June with a commemorative concert dedicated to the founder, performed by the Milan Verdi Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by James Conlan. The prestigious programme features Giacomo Puccinis opera Gianni Schicchi directed by Woody Allen and the musical comedy Mozart by French director and actor Sacha Guitry.
Dance has always been a big feature of the Festival and this years event will see works by great choreographers Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, Wayne McGregor, as well as the first Italian performance of Pina Bauschs Bamboo Blues.
US stage director and play-wright Robert Wilson will bring two Samuel Beckett plays to Spoleto Happy Days and Krapp Last Tape while leading Italian director Luca Ronconi will stage Chekhovs the Seagulls.
The Festival closes on July 7 th with the traditional concert in Piazza Duomo, featuring music by George Gershwin, conducted by Wayne Marshall.
For information on the full programme: www.festivaldispoleto.it
