Luchino Visconti

Fifty years after the death of Luchino Visconti: an exhibition at Casa Menotti

From April 18 to June 15, 2026, Casa Menotti hosts a special exhibition dedicated to Luchino Visconti, in the very place where his connection with the Festival dei Due Mondi first began.

Curated by Carlo Alvise Crispolti in collaboration with Martin Giovanetti, the exhibition showcases a series of previously unpublished photographs taken during rehearsals of La Traviata, directed by Visconti in 1963. He had previously opened the Festival in 1958 with Verdi’s Macbeth.

The photographs date back to a time when cameras were fully mechanical, and each shot broke the silence of rehearsals with the sharp click of the shutter. In this setting, Francesco Carlo Crispolti captured intimate moments during rehearsals at the Teatro Nuovo Gian Carlo Menotti, just days before the premiere on June 20, 1963.

The negatives remained stored and unprinted for over sixty years and are now being shown to the public for the first time. During digitization, the curator deliberately chose not to alter the images: the prints are presented exactly as preserved over time, with the only modern element being the printing medium.

The images, likely taken from a low angle during afternoon rehearsals,  feature performers Franca Fabbri, Franco Bonisolli, and Mario Basiola, alongside conductor Carlo Felice Cillario and the rest of the cast.

Rather than carefully composed shots, these are spontaneous glimpses: Visconti during a coffee break, giving directions, the expressive gestures of the conductor. They reflect a time when each roll of film allowed only 36 exposures, and every shot required precision and intent.

The exhibition also highlights Crispolti’s archival method, with enlarged materials illustrating his photographic cataloguing process.

Special thanks go to Casa Menotti, President Maria Flora Monini, the staff, especially Antonella Colossi, and all contributors to the project.

Visitor information
Casa Menotti – Via dell’Arringo, Spoleto, Italy
+39 0743 46620
www.casamenotti.it

Opening hours vary by season; visitors are advised to check the official calendar or book in advance.