The interview of the month

We meet Michele Loguercio, head of the Rossini Opera Festival construction team.

Could you tell us about your professional experience before joining the ROF?

Before joining the ROF, I already had over 10 years of experience in various set design workshops run by private individuals, as well as being the owner of a small set design company that I opened after studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna.

What was your first contact with the Festival?
While working in a private workshop, I met some veterans of the Festival who encouraged me to present my CV to the technical director, Mauro Brecciaroli. Since then I have been working at the ROF for 20 years.

Could you describe your work at the ROF?

My professional development at the ROF has been gradual, until I became the head of the construction workshop, which is basically the realisation of a project presented by the set designer and approved by the director, from the construction of sets, walkways and everything that makes up the stage space, to the movement mechanisms and the creation of props. The construction must be light and strong, and designed to be assembled and disassembled in a streamlined and efficient manner. With each new project, new solutions have to be found to achieve the best possible result. The team of collaborators makes this possible.

What is your favourite memory of your experience at ROF?

There are many memories and all have left an indelible mark. Having worked with internationally renowned set designers and directors, my experience at ROF has been full of challenges and anecdotes. I remember the scene change in Ronconi’s Cenerentola, when the entire scene in view lifted up, the walls rotated and a new scene appeared to the audience. Or the baroque theatrical machinations of Dario Fo’s Italiana in Algeri, where we seemed to be in another era, or the imposing construction of Graham Vick’s Mosè in Egitto, with a life-size tank positioned on the stands of the Vitrifrigo Arena. It is always a challenge, but also a great satisfaction, to build and install these giant toys.

Published in : 17 February 2025