The Death of Klinghoffer - Opening night of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Festival

The Death of Klinghoffer by John Adams opens the 2026 season of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino on April 19th, in a new production and for the first time in Florence. On the podium is Lawrence Renes, one of the foremost interpreters of the American composer, while direction and set design are by Luca Guadagnino, making his debut at the Maggio.

Set to a libretto by Alice Goodman, the opera—first performed in Brussels in 1991—explores with depth and complexity the theme of contemporary conflicts, drawing inspiration from the tragic 1985 hijacking of the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro and the murder of passenger Leonard Klinghoffer.

On stage, the Orchestra and Chorus of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, together with an international cast, bring to life an intense and dramatic score, guided by Guadagnino’s directorial vision, shaped by the power of Adams’s music and the poetry of the text.

A major cultural event that brings together music, theatre, and historical reflection, marking an important first for Florence.

Tickets are available online on the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino website or at the theatre box office during opening hours.