Italian Culture Minister Dario
Franceschini said on Tuesday that American director and
screenwriter Sofia Coppola would be able to "get drunk on
beauty" when she comes to Rome to direct her first opera later
this year.
Coppola is due to make her operatic debut in May with a new
production of Giuseppe Verdi's 'La Traviata' at Rome's opera
house.
"The director will be able to immerse herself and get drunk
on beauty here," Franceschini said during a visit to the opera
house.
"Opera is the reason why Italy is desired, admired and
watched in all the world," he said.
The main costumes for the opera will be created by fashion
designer Valentino, who came up with the idea for the new
production along with Giancarlo Giammetti, honorary president of
Valentino fashion house, in collaboration with the Rome opera
house.
Valentino has long been interested in the art of opera. He
designed costumes for a lyric opera performed at the Kennedy
Center in Washington in 1994, as well as the Valentino gala at
the New York City Ballet and the New Year's Eve concert in
Vienna.
He invited Coppola to be part of the project after he saw
her film Marie Antoinette in which the opera house said she
showed significant aesthetic and musical awareness, and managed
to balance classic and modern elements.
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