Performer: Davide Livermore

Vasilisa Berzhanskaya dominates in Pesaro; around her, Davide Livermore’s visually striking production turns Rossini’s tale of war into a meditation on the destruction of classical beauty.

This year’s Salzburg Whitsun Festival gala, Ciao, bella ciao, features Cecilia Bartoli in a highly personalised musical programme structured as an autobiographical journey, unfolding as a blend of concert and self-portrait. 

Visually enchanting and meticulously staged, this centenary revival confirms Livermore's production as a modern classic. 

Davide Livermore’s high-octane production transforms Handel into a lavish blockbuster. While the superstars shine, the relentless entertainment-first approach often sacrifices musical refinement and dramatic logic for Netflix-style spectacle.