Tension and Talent: The Beatrice Venezi Controversy at La Fenice

Venice, Italy | January 2026

Walking through the grand halls of Teatro La Fenice, it’s hard not to feel the weight of history pressing down on the present. The recent appointment of Beatrice Venezi as music director has turned this iconic theatre into a stage for a real-life drama just as gripping as any opera.

Venezi, celebrated internationally and historically notable as a young woman rising to lead one of Europe’s great opera houses, has faced a wave of protest from the very orchestra and staff she will now lead. Their message is clear: La Fenice demands experience rooted in its own operatic tradition, and they feel this appointment, heavily influenced by political connections, bypassed the careful deliberation such a post deserves.

I observed the unrest firsthand: musicians and staff holding signs, murmuring in the corridors, and speaking passionately about artistic integrity. There is anger, yes, but also vulnerability—a fear that the institution’s legacy could be overshadowed by politics rather than artistry.

I personally like Venezi, and I think people should be less judgmental and wait for her to demonstrate what she can do. She carries the ambition and skill that propelled her career to this point, and stepping into La Fenice’s spotlight means navigating a minefield of expectations, history, and professional skepticism. Watching her story unfold feels like witnessing a pivotal act in a long opera—one where the resolution is uncertain, and the stakes are immeasurably high.

For anyone who loves opera, the Venezi case is a reminder that art is never separate from the people who create it. Talent, politics, tradition, and ambition collide, and the audience—both inside and outside the theatre—watches with bated breath, wondering which note will define the next chapter at La Fenice.