OFFICIAL SELECTION - 2025 ROME FILM FEST
Granting to opera what The September Issue gave to fashion, Anissa Bonnefont’s atmospheric new documentary follows 900 artists, staff and technicians at Milan’s legendary opera house Teatro alla Scala over four months as they anxiously work to incarnate a new production of Verdi’s masterpiece “The Force of Destiny” that will premiere as the theatre’s traditional 7 December Opening Night gala.
As Milan - and Italy - holds its breath for what is one of the international opera calendar’s most prestigious events, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
To underscore the opera’s searing relevance, stage director Leo Muscato will set the story in a contemporary war zone. As set designer Federica Parolini’s sketches evolve into towering structures, costume designer Silvia Aymonino and her team are hard at work. Alberto Malazzi rehearses the chorus, Roberto Bolle workshops with the corps du ballet, and maestro Riccardo Chailly prepares the orchestra. Theatre staff ready the near 250-year-old venue. There's added anticipation with the arrival of the star international cast – among them Anna Netrebko, Brian Jagde, and Ludovic Tézier - set to fill La Scala’s hallowed halls with their powerful voices. But with the clock ticking, and expectations soaring, the drama backstage builds… Will they be ready when the curtain rises?
Filmed with behind-the-scenes access never before granted by La Scala, THE FORCE OF DESTINY is not a simple chronicling of events, but rather, a vibrant portrait of the world’s most famous opera house. Beautifully capturing the remarkable endeavour of staging a major new production, the film reveals the passion, anxiety and brilliance of these artists, and celebrates the grandeur and preciousness of the artform. For both newcomers and devoted opera lovers, it’s an invitation to witness the magic of creation on the big screen.