Festivals dedicated to a single composer is often provide an opportunity to contextualize well-known masterpieces by reviving rarely performed works.

La pietra di paragone, one of Rossini’s earliest triumphs (Milan, 1812), had been missing from the Rossini Opera Festival since 2002, and finally returned back this year.

Adriatic Arena.Gioachino Rossini, Le Siège de Corinthe.La Fura desl Baus, staging project.Carlus Padrissa, director and set designer.Lita Cabellut, costume designer, video designer, set and pictorial elements designer.

Civic Opera.Jacques Offenbach, Les Contes d’Hoffmann.Nicolas Joël, original production.Stéphane Roche, stage director.Ezio Frigerio, set designer.Franca Squarciapino, costume designer.Vinicio Cheli, original lighting designer.

San Francisco Opera House.George Frederick Handel, Serse.Nicholas Hytner, original production.Michael Welling, stage director.David Fielding, production designer.Paul Pyant, lighting designer.Susan Graham (Serse), David Daniels (Arsamane), Wayne Tigges (Ariodate), Lisette Oropesa (Romilda), Heidi Stober (Atalanta), Sonia Prina (Amastre), Michael Sumuel (Elviro).

The Chicago Symphony Hall.Giuseppe Verdi, Otello.Aleksanders Antonenko (Otello), Krassimira Stoyanova (Desdemona), Carlo Guelfi (Jago), Juan Francisco Gatell (Cassio), Barbara Di Castri (Emilia), Michael Spyres (Rodrigo), Paolo Battaglia (Montano), Eric Owens (Ludovico), David Goversten (A Herald).

Civic Opera.Giacomo Puccini, La fanciulla del West.Harold Prince, original production.Eugene Lee, original set designer.Franne Lee, original costume designer.Vincent Liotta, stage director.Scott Marr, new scenary and costumes.

Civic Opera.Benjamin Britten.A Midsummernight’s Dream.Neil Armfield, director.Dale Ferguson, set and costume designer.Damien Cooper, lighting designer.David Daniels (Oberon), Anna Christie (Tytania), Shawn Mathey (Lysander), Elizabeth DeShong (Hermia), Lucas Meachem (Demetrius), Erin Wall (Helena), Peter Rose (Bottom), Sam Handley (Quince), Keith Jameson (Flute), Paul Scholten (Starveling), James Kryshak (Snout), Wilbur Pauley (Snug), Esteban Andres Cruz (Puck), Kenny Lumb (Cobweb), Anna Stephan (Mustardseed), Benjamin Hoppe (Moth), Craig Irvin (Theseus), Kelley O’Connor (Hippolyta).

Civic Opera.Giuseppe Verdi.Macbeth.Barbara Gaines, director.James Noone, set designer.Virgil C.Johnson, costume designer.Robert Wierzel, lighting designer.Thomas Hampson (Macbeth), Nadja Michael (Lady Macbeth), Stefan Kocan (Banquo), Leonardo Capalbo (Macduff), Sam Handley (A Servant/An Assassin/A Herald/A Physician), Carter Scott (Lady Banquo/Lady in Waiting), Konstantin Stepanov (Malcolm), Evan Boyer (First Apparition), Jennifer Jakob (Second Apparition), Amanda Majeski (Third Apparition).

The Civic Opera House.Giacomo Puccini, Tosca.Franco Zeffirelli, original production.Garnett Bruce, director.Renzo Mongiardino, set designer.Marcel Escoffier, costume designer.Christine Binder, lighting designer.