Temptation on the opera stage
Igor Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress opens Teatro dell’Opera di Roma’s 2026–2027 season. The new production runs at Teatro Costanzi from 27 November to 5 December 2026, conducted by Michele Mariotti, with direction and costumes by Rafael R. Villalobos. It is an evening for visitors who want a substantial theatrical experience alongside their walks around Rome.
Tom Rakewell’s moral decline unfolds through W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman’s libretto, inspired by William Hogarth’s engravings. The meeting of images, music and personal choice makes the changing world around the protagonist as interesting as the story itself.
A picture room becomes a stage
Villalobos draws on the Picture Room of London’s Sir John Soane’s Museum. Moving picture-covered panels, stairs, curtains and hidden spaces turn a collection into a theatrical mechanism. The visual journey moves from neoclassical whiteness towards the punk culture of 1970s London.
Lawrence Brownlee sings Tom, Rosalia Cid is Anne and Alex Esposito is Nick Shadow, with the Rome Opera orchestra and chorus. The official production page states original-language performance with Italian and English surtitles, useful when considering how to follow the action.
Public performances are on 27 and 29 November and 1, 3 and 5 December. Start times vary: select a performance and ticket on the theatre website. Our editorial suggestion is to reserve an evening for the opera and avoid an overly full programme beforehand. The venue for this production is Teatro Costanzi.
Planning the journey
A trip from your hotel to the chosen venue starts at your actual accommodation address. Arrival at Fiumicino (FCO) or Ciampino (CIA), followed by travel to your accommodation, is a separate part of the journey. To discuss an event transfer, contact Hola Taxi with your chosen date, venue, departure address and passenger count. Discuss the return journey separately once your plans are clear.
Sources
Checked: 2026-10-21
