Alessandro Palumbo opened the 2026/27 opera season at Staatstheater Darmstadt conducting a new production of Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci.

Premiered on 29 August 2026 in the Großes Haus, the production is staged and designed by Intendant Karsten Wiegand, with Alessandro Palumbo as Musical Director and the Staatsorchester Darmstadt in the pit.

The double bill approaches the two landmarks of Italian verismo from contrasting perspectives. In Cavalleria rusticana, the production questions how the Mediterranean village and its tragedy can be represented without resorting to familiar exoticisms; Pagliacci moves closer to the present day and asks how clearly we can still distinguish performer from character in an age shaped by social media and the performance of authenticity.

A critically acclaimed opening

Palumbo’s work with the Staatsorchester Darmstadt attracted particular attention in the critical response to the production. Reviews highlighted his command of the stage and pit, the breadth and intensity of the orchestral playing and his close responsiveness to the singers.

“Der Abend hat einen Helden, und der steht im Graben.”

Klassik begeistert

The official Staatstheater Darmstadt production page also highlights the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung’s praise for Palumbo, noting the young Italian conductor’s ability to keep the full musical forces in view — from the singers and choruses to the Staatsorchester Darmstadt.

Behind the production

In the Staatstheater Darmstadt podcast Drama, Baby!, Alessandro Palumbo joins director Karsten Wiegand and costume designer Judith Adam for an extended conversation about the production, verismo and the question at the heart of the two operas: what can we believe on stage?

The Staatstheater’s official production page and Mediathek also feature the video trailer for Cavalleria rusticana / Pagliacci.

Upcoming performances

Following performances in August and September, Alessandro Palumbo returns to the production on 16 October, 6 November, 21 November and 11 December 2026 at the Großes Haus of the Staatstheater Darmstadt. His collaboration with the Staatsorchester Darmstadt will continue in January 2027, when he returns to conduct one of the orchestra’s symphonic concerts.