Venice’s iconic La Fenice Theater, renowned for premiering classical masterpieces by Bellini, Rossini, and Verdi, is celebrated as one of Italy’s most prestigious opera houses, regularly attracting top conductors from across the globe.
However, a recent announcement sparked considerable outrage among company members: conductor Beatrice Venezi, who had only previously appeared for a promotional event at La Fenice and was largely known through television and a hair product advertisement, was named the new music director. Critics quickly raised concerns about her apparent lack of extensive experience for such a distinguished role.
In response to this controversial appointment, La Fenice’s workforce is now threatening to go on strike.
Beyond concerns about her experience, some critics speculate that Venezi’s strong ties to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the Brothers of Italy Party, a hard-right political group, might have influenced her selection.
Venezi has openly acknowledged her conservative political leanings. In a 2023 interview with La Stampa, she affirmed her identification with right-wing values. She also expressed offense at being labeled a “fascistella” (little Fascist), explaining that her father, Gabriele Venezi, had a leadership role in Forza Nuova, another far-right party.
Prime Minister Meloni has publicly lauded Venezi on social media, describing her as “a courageous and talented artist who refuses to bow to the dictatorship of thought and language” imposed by “ideological fanatics.” Following Meloni’s rise to power, Venezi was appointed as the government’s official councilor for music.
Classical music critic Alberto Mattioli observed, “Venezi is not a famous conductor who happens to be right wing. She’s famous because she is right wing.”
Since Prime Minister Meloni took office in 2022, a noticeable trend has emerged: her administration is accused of attempting to infuse Italian cultural institutions with a conservative ideology. This pattern is evident in the preference for Italian directors at national museums, the selection of specific exhibitions, and a clear governmental bias towards local talent over international artists within opera companies.
Other prominent opera companies have voiced their solidarity with La Fenice’s protesting workers. Staff at Milan’s renowned La Scala opera house, for instance, released a statement last week condemning Venezi’s selection as an “imposed from above” decision.
Marco Trentin, a cellist and union representative for La Fenice, noted that while the general manager technically has the authority to appoint a music director, it has historically been standard practice to consult with the orchestra, choir, and other company members.
Just weeks prior, La Fenice’s general manager, Nicola Colabianchi, had assured staff that Venezi was merely one of several candidates under consideration and that a decision was a year away. However, the company abruptly announced Venezi’s selection only days later.
“The union felt completely betrayed,” Trentin stated.
Venezi did not respond to requests for an interview. Despite some critics’ claims, she is far from a newcomer to the classical music scene. Her meticulously managed social media showcases her prominent engagements globally, including a recent performance in Bangkok where she conducted alongside Plácido Domingo at an international festival.
In 2018, Forbes Italia recognized her as one of “100 influential Italians under 30,” and she has presented television shows on Italy’s national broadcaster, RAI. However, her recent program, “Viva Puccini,” intended to draw younger audiences to the composer, was criticized by a prominent TV critic as “kitsch” for seemingly prioritizing Venezi herself over Puccini’s music. For years, she has also starred in commercials for an Italian hair product, often dramatically flipping her signature thick hair, a move echoed in her conducting.
While music critic Mattioli conceded Venezi’s professionalism, he highlighted that she had never held positions at elite institutions like those in Vienna, Munich, Berlin, Paris, London, or La Scala. Instead, her experience primarily involved conducting in “very modest theaters.”
Conversely, opera expert Enrico Stinchelli, a proponent of Venezi, noted her regular appearances at Buenos Aires’ Teatro Colón and her considerable experience in smaller Italian opera houses, deeming it an impressive resume for her age. After observing her work, he described her as “prepared and serious.”
“Whether people appreciate her style or not comes down to personal taste,” he commented.
In a letter, Colabianchi apologized to La Fenice’s staff for not consulting them about Venezi’s appointment. He explained in a phone interview that he had hoped a swift decision would preempt the controversy already simmering in the media when her name first surfaced. “It was unimaginable that there would be such widespread opposition,” he confessed.
Nevertheless, Colabianchi stood by his decision, recalling his positive experience working with Venezi during his time as general manager of the Cagliari opera house. He emphasized that her youth, gender, and public profile could offer “added value” to La Fenice, boosting its international visibility and promoting a message of generational change and innovation.
“I am confident in my choice because we live in an era where image and communication are crucial, and we need to engage new audiences,” he asserted. While acknowledging he could have opted for a more seasoned conductor, he concluded, “instead, I aimed to send a signal of renewal.”
Through her social media channels, Venezi expressed being “deeply moved and grateful” for her selection, eagerly anticipating the opportunity to “begin this human, artistic, and musical dialogue with the theater, the city of Venice, and its audience.”
Trentin, from the La Fenice trade union, expressed hope that Colabianchi might reconsider his decision to “find a solution.” Last Saturday, before a concert, company members distributed leaflets outside La Fenice. Inside, an orchestra member read a statement demanding Venezi’s “immediate revocation,” a plea met with enthusiastic applause and several standing ovations.
For the time being, Trentin stated that protests would continue in various forms before resorting to a full strike. “Let’s see where it gets us,” he added.