Indeed, the cast lists for the 2025 season have already been announced. Featured at the 71st edition of the Puccini Festival 2025, five of the composer’s greatest works will take center stage and create a major event. From July 18 to September 6, 2025, festivalgoers will have the opportunity to attend performances of Tosca (July 18, August 1, 9, and 29), Turandot (July 25, August 2, 14, 22, and September 5), La Bohème (July 19, 26, and August 7), Madama Butterfly (August 8 and 23), and finally Manon Lescaut (August 30 and September 6).

This array of masterpieces is complemented in the middle of the Puccini Festival by a gala recital on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, featuring Anna Netrebko, the greatest star among sopranos, accompanied by tenor Martin Muehle, as she announced on her personal website. Alongside the great diva, there are numerous exceptional performances.

The Gran Teatro all’Aperto, located on the shores of Lake Massaciuccoli, where Giacomo Puccini once owned a villa, will welcome Roberto Alagna as Mario Cavaradossi, who will sacrifice himself in vain to save his wife Tosca—played by the stunning Aleksandra Kurzak—from the clutches of the dreadful Baron Scarpia, portrayed by Luca Salsi. Other artists will also take part in Tosca, conducted by Giorgio Croci, including Valentina Boi, Carmen Giannattasio, and Eleonora Buratto, who will share the role of Floria Tosca, while Francesco Meli and Michael Fabiano will alternate as Mario Cavaradossi.

La Bohème, in Ettore Scola’s staging, also boasts an outstanding cast, notably featuring Nino Machaidze, Sara Branch, Vittorio Grigolo, and Vittorio Prato in the leading roles. During the Puccini Festival 2025, Madama Butterfly will stand out for the performance of soprano Maria Agresta, who is highly anticipated in the role.

Another highly acclaimed soprano in Italy, María José Siri, will portray Manon Lescaut, alongside Luciano Ganci as Des Grieux and Claudio Sgura as Lescaut.

The greatest voices of the opera scene will also be featured in Turandot, conducted by Renato Palombo. Indeed, the icy princess will be portrayed by the impressive Anna Pirozzi, opposite the equally grandiose tenor Gregory Kunde. Another well-known tenor, Yusif Eyvazov, will also take on the role of Calaf, while Olga Maslova will perform as Turandot, and Rosa Feola will sing Liù for one performance. Torre del Lago, where Giacomo Puccini was laid to rest in 1926, can take pride in hosting a remarkable edition of its Puccini Festival 2025.

To book your tickets for the Puccini’s Festival click here!

Affiche festival Puccini 2025 & Roberto Alagna avec Aleksandra Kurzak – c – Festival Puccini Website/Gregor Hohenberg

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However, on January 31, in the “News” section of the renowned Italian opera house’s website, the following message can be found: “Si avvisa il gentile pubblico che Jonas Kaufmann è costretto ad annullare la sua partecipazione nel ruolo di Cavaradossi nell’opera Tosca per sopravvenuto cambio di date, risultando un’incompatibilità irrisolvibile di calendario.” In short, this means that Jonas Kaufmann will not be able to sing the role of Cavaradossi in Tosca due to a scheduling conflict.

But what happened for Jonas Kaufmann, the superstar tenor, to cancel in January a performance that had been announced since June 2024 and scheduled for September 2025? A more lucrative offer? The desire to lighten his schedule with fewer stage appearances? No one knows—not even the opera enthusiasts who already have their tickets, many of whom have not been informed of the change.

The tenor announced to replace Jonas Kaufmann is Francesco Meli. At the Teatro San Carlo, the other series of performances will feature Vittorio Grigolo and Yusif Eyvazov, alongside a third Tosca, Carmen Giannattasio. Jonas Kaufmann’s next stage appearances are scheduled at the Nationaltheater in Munich in May, June, and July 2025, where he will perform the role of Canio in Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci.

Kaufmann is also expected to embark on a European recital tour with soprano Diana Damrau and accompanist Helmut Deutsch. The program, featuring Lieder by Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss, will likely remain the same in Barcelona, Aix-en-Provence, Paris, and Berlin—unless he cancels!

To see Tosca at the Teatro San Carlo, click here!

Jonas Kaufmann – c – Gregor Hohenberg

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© Fondazione Arena di Verona website

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