Verdi Off’s Los Angeles debut pairs free performances at public landmarks with programming arranged through local community and youth organizations. The Parma-based project is bringing opera, music, dance and visual arts to city spaces from Hollywood to Venice Beach, as part of a planned three-year residency. Organizers say the week includes community programming, youth workshops and free performances.
The initiative is a partnership between Teatro Regio di Parma and the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce West, according to Beverly Press. Teatro Regio di Parma established Verdi Off in 2016 as a free, open-to-all project of the Festival Verdi, according to parmatoday.it. The project has since grown to include hundreds of public arts events in Italy, per the Beverly Press report; previous editions were held in Parma.
In Los Angeles, the residency is intended to expand arts access through collaborations with local nonprofit organizations. Organizers plan to develop school partnerships, youth mentorships and community performances over the next three years, per the same report. Italy-America Chamber of Commerce West executive director Genny Nevoso described the project as a way to connect Italian and Los Angeles communities through accessible arts experiences. Teatro Regio di Parma superintendent Luciano Messi said the project’s purpose is to bring culture into neighborhoods, schools and everyday places.
A Gala Kickoff and a 400-Meal Dinner
The week’s events were set to begin at the eighth annual Italian Excellence Gala & Awards. Verdi Off’s official U.S. debut was scheduled for Nov. 15 at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood, where the project was slated to serve as presenting partner, according to Teatro Regio di Parma. The gala was expected to include performances by Education Through Music-Los Angeles students and youth dancers from Hollywood Ballet and Pasadena Civic Ballet, as well as visual projections celebrating Giuseppe Verdi, per the Beverly Press.
A community meal was scheduled for Nov. 17, when visiting Italian chef Enrico Bergonzi was to work with the Hollywood Food Coalition to prepare approximately 400 meals for unhoused and food-insecure residents. Dinner service was set to begin at 5:30 p.m., and volunteers were welcome to help, according to foodjournalmagazine.com. A separate event, A Taste of Verdi, was also scheduled that evening at the coalition, where chefs were set to create a dish for the organization’s guests, according to oltrelecolonne.it.
Youth Workshops in Echo Park
On Nov. 18, artists were scheduled to lead a free workshop for youth in El Centro del Pueblo programs in Echo Park. Italian artist Francesca Pasquinucci was to lead a visual arts workshop, while Petra Conti was set to teach an introductory ballet class. Conti, a Hollywood Ballet co-founder and former prima ballerina at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, and Eris Nezha, a Hollywood Ballet co-founder and former principal dancer at Teatro alla Scala, were serving as mentors and choreographers for participating young dancers, per the Beverly Press.
Free Performances Across the City
The week was set to end with free performances at four public locations. On Nov. 21, artists were scheduled to appear at Venice Beach Skatepark at 1 p.m. and Santa Monica Pier at 2 p.m. On Nov. 22, performances were planned for the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1 p.m. and Lake Hollywood Park at 2 p.m.
Organizers describe the Los Angeles effort as the first chapter of a three-year, 2026-2028 partnership. Teatro Regio di Parma materials present it as a step toward establishing Verdi Off in the city ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. More broadly, the project takes Festival Verdi programming beyond theaters through free events in music, theater and dance for audiences of different ages, according to Teatro Regio di Parma.
Separately, LA28 describes its Cultural Olympiad as spanning fashion, film, food, music, performance and visual art, developed with local cultural institutions, artists and community organizations. That description does not establish that Verdi Off is affiliated with the Cultural Olympiad.
