This year’s Verdi Festival in Parma is rich with new and unconventional features, trying to attract a wider and younger audience. Whether this goal will be achieved remains unclear, but in the meantime habitual opera goers expressed mixed reactions, ranging from enthusiasm to outrage.

In the case of Graham Vick’s production of Verdi’s early opera Stiffelio, critical comments started long before the opening, when the Festival’s program notes explained that there would be no traditional staging: on the contrary, audience members would be standing in the theater, with cast members performing among them. Even Maestro Riccardo Muti, who visited Parma earlier this year to open the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of Toscanini’s birth, dubbed it as a scandal, encouraging the famous Parma’s loggionisti to barricade the theater.

However, nobody was forced to attend the standing production, which was not included in subscriptions, and in the end younger and older attendants turned out to be quite happy with the unusual experience.

One of the reasons that prompted Vick to revolutionize the spectators’ role in the performance was the peculiar space of the Teatro Farnese. The theater offers a beautiful view on its steep surrounding bleachers, which however cannot possibly be used as seats. Rather than dividing the large empty space, and creating separate areas for the seats and the stage, as has been done in the past, the director decided to have the audience embedded into the performance.

Patrons received a badge at the entrance as participants of the performance, and filled the theater when the music started coming from the orchestra located opposite the entrance. Supertitles could not be shown in the theater, but audience members could download an app on their cell phone and read the titles there. Chorus members were variously placed next to the orchestra, among the audience or on the bleachers, while various extras moved among the audience.

The director staged the action during recent pro-family demonstrations that took place in Italy when the law on gay marriage was approved, with harassment scenes and for and against protesters taking various actions. Several monitors allowed the singers to follow the conductor while performing on three higher stands that moved among the audience. On top of the stands are beds, a hint of sexual affairs, and a big cross that reminds Stiffelio of his duty as a priest when he learns of Lina’s betrayal.

In spite of the extra effort required by following the conductor on monitors, the singers sang and interpreted their roles smoothly. Tenor Luciano Ganci in the title role sang with powerful voice and effortless emission, easily filling the theater. Soprano Maria Katzarava was a deeply troubled, dramatically tuned Lina. I found baritone Francesco Landolfi especially interesting as Stankar: he made a compelling character of the somewhat unresolved worried father, and displayed a ductile voice, with very touching piani.

Guillermo Garcia Calvo conducted with great care, and provided the musical gel for the performance. The orchestra and chorus of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, which participated in the co-production, also played and sang with commitment.

At the Oct. 13th performance, a largely international audience filled the theater, as Parma was also hosting the fall conference of Opera Europa, the main association of European opera companies and festivals. This allowed the company to showcase its festival productions, and European artistic directors and company administrators to have a glimpse of Parma’s lively operatic life.