An opera will be staged for the first time at the ancient Roman baths in the Campi Flegrei (Phlegrean Fields), the volcanic area northwest of Naples.
Pietro Mascagni's 'Cavalleria Rusticana', directed by Maurizio Scaparro, will be performed by the San Carlo Theatre company July 13, 15, 18 and 20, with a gala premiere on July 11. The event was made possible through a joint initiative by
the Region of Campania, the San Carlo Theatre, the Pozzuoli tourism board and the Bacoli town government.
San Carlo superintendent Gioacchino Lanza Tomasi said the one-act melodrama would be staged "not just in one spot but in three connected areas in order to give a movie-like effect of taking place on different levels". Lanzi Tomasi added that he hoped the 'San Carlo at the Ancient Baths' event would develop into a regular summer program which could involve other key archeological sites in the Baia area, which is rich in both history and legend.
The Campi Flegrei sit on a a vulcanic crater, most of which lies underwater, and the ancient Romans believed it was the home of their god of fire, Vulcan. Aside from the opera, the ancient baths will be hosting a Mozart concert on July 16.
