La Scala transforms into contemporary art gallery for baroque opera L'Orontea

From September 26 to October 5, 2024, Teatro alla Scala in Milan presents Antonio Cesti's 1656 opera L'Orontea, directed by Robert Carsen and conducted by Giovanni Antonini. The production reimagines the Egyptian court setting as a contemporary art gallery, turning the protagonist Alidoro from a hero into a struggling artist. Countertenor Carlo Vistoli, born in 1987 in Romagna, plays the lead. Vistoli, who prefers the term 'contraltista,' trained with Fabrizio Facchini, William Matteuzzi, and Sonia Prina at the Conservatorio di Ferrara. He has developed a passion for contemporary art and the gallery system. The staging explores conflicts between duty and desire through intrigue and disguise. Vistoli credits Carsen and Damiano Michieletto for pushing his physicality and communication. The baroque music revival and the art-world setting engage with debates on fluidity, gender identity, and civil rights. Historically, contraltisti like Farinelli, Caffarelli, and Sensino were celebrated for their nuanced voices.