New director appointed for Bologna's theater

Pierangelo Conte has been appointed as the new director of the Teatro Comunale in Bologna by Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli on October 27, following a unanimous recommendation from the advisory council. Conte will take over from Elisabetta Riva, who left her position earlier than planned due to family reasons requiring her presence in Argentina.

Conte's background and new role

Conte, 59, had previously served as the artistic director of the theater since July 2025. Before joining Bologna, he worked as the artistic secretary of La Fenice from 2005 to 2014, was associated with the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, and later directed the programming of the Carlo Felice in Genoa until 2025. However, this is his first time holding the position of director. He will now hold both the roles of artistic director and director simultaneously.

Theater's schedule and reopening

The theater's schedule is demanding, with the Bibiena hall set to reopen on February 14, 2027, after being closed for renovations since December 2022. The reopening will feature a concert conducted by Daniele Gatti. Opera will return on March 2 with a performance of Monteverdi's Il ritorno di Ulisse in patria, in the transcription by Dallapiccola, conducted by Fabio Biondi. The choice of this opera, symbolizing a return home, is deliberate, given that the theater has been without its main venue for over four years.

Theater's vision and future plans

The Comunale has named its 2026 season "Verso Itaca," which translates to "Towards Ithaca," a reference to the mythical destination in Homer's Odyssey. In an interview with the Corriere di Bologna, Conte expressed his vision for a theater open 365 days a year, where people would come not only for performances but also for meetings, exhibitions, or debates. He emphasized that the theater's return will not only signify coming home but also mark a period of expanded accessibility and engagement.