Overview

• RSU and national unions have called a strike for Friday, Oct. 17, timed to the opening night of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck, with a public assembly scheduled at 6 p.m.
• The action seeks to force the withdrawal of 35-year-old conductor Beatrice Venezi’s nomination as musical director, decided on Sept. 22 by superintendent Nicola Colabianchi.
• Talks on Oct. 8 with Colabianchi and Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro produced no compromise, as unions rejected a proposed “percorso conoscitivo” unless the nomination is first revoked.
• Management defends the choice as part of a renewal strategy, while workers question Venezi’s qualifications compared with past directors; her term would begin in Oct. 2026 and run to March 2030.
• Brugnaro reaffirms support for Colabianchi and Venezi and reports minimal subscription cancellations to date, while both sides signal openness to dialogue despite an ongoing standoff.