Venezi Fired from La Fenice After Controversial Interview Sparking Opera Industry Outrage

Venezi, 36, was appointed music director of La Fenice in Venice but was fired after controversial comments about opera orchestra jobs being 'practically passed down from father to son'. The daughter of a former leader of the neo-fascist Forza Nuova party and close to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, she faced a strike, protests from musicians, and audience backlash. La Fenice cited 'repeated and serious public statements' as reason for dismissal.

In an interview with an Argentine daily, Venezi insinuated that jobs in the opera orchestra were "practically passed down from father to son", angering musicians. "I have no godfathers. That is the difference. I do not come from a family of musicians," Venezi said, adding that those who opposed her were "afraid of change, of renewal".

Days after the interview was published, La Fenice announced Venezi was sacked due to "repeated and serious public statements, which were offensive and damaging to the artistic and professional standing" of the theatre and its orchestra.

Many alleged that Venezi - an unusually young and relatively inexperienced director - was only given the prestigious role because of her proximity with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Venezi has been working as a musical consultant for the Ministry of Culture since 2022.

In October, the workers' union called a strike to protest Venezi's appointment. Many of La Fenice's musicians and staff questioned her credentials, arguing that she was unfit to become the music director of one of Italy's most important theatres.

Venezi became a conductor at 22 and has worked as a conductor in Italy and internationally, including in Armenia, Uruguay and Argentina. Her resume was "not remotely comparable to that of the great conductors who have previously held the post of Music Director of this theatre", staff wrote in an open letter to La Fenice General Manager Nicola Colabianchi.

While general managers have the right to choose musical directors independently, in practice they typically consult the orchestra to ensure that the musicians can work effectively with the director. Instead Colabianchi only informed the orchestra of Venezi's appointment after it had been announced.

During the traditional televised New Year's Eve concert, members of the choir and the orchestra as well as technicians wore golden pins to signal their displeasure. The unhappiness over Venezi's appointment was shared by a part of La Fenice's audience, too, with several spectators throwing flyers reading "Music is art, not entertainment" from the theatre's stands after several performances last year.

In her interview with the Argentine daily, Venezi said Giorgia Meloni was a "powerful, competent woman" and confirmed the two had known each other since before Meloni launched her political career. However, Venezi said she had never been involved in politics and did not wish to be.