Bepi Morassi

Venetian by origin and a student of Giovanni Poli, after studying and refining his skills in theater and music with prominent figures of theatrical research, he began in 1978 his career as an assistant director alongside some of the most prestigious Italian and international directors (Pizzi, Ronconi, Bolognini, De Simone, Serban, among others). Shortly after, he earned a degree in Law and specialized in Theater Production and Organization. From that moment on, he became involved with practically all the major theatrical institutions in Venice: he succeeded Poli as Resident Director at Teatro a l’Avogaria; served as Head of Training at the “Giovanni Poli” School throughout the 1990s; and was Theatrical Consultant for the Municipality of Venice during the 1980s, coordinating acclaimed events such as Venezia a Napoli, Napoli a Venezia, and Venezia e gli Stranieri. He was also Artistic Director at Teatro Goldoni (before it became a national theater) in the 1980s, as Head of Production and Promotion, and collaborated with Teatro La Fenice starting in the 1990s. He worked with the Campiello Prize in several editions from 1989 and contributed to various Carnival productions. 

He wrote regularly about theater, first for Voce di San Marco, and later for the monthly magazine Marco Polo. He served as Venice correspondent for the Italian News Agency (AGI) and worked on numerous TV programs for the then RAI Production Center in Venice. 

As co-producer, he contributed to several major theatrical projects born in Venice during the 1990s: Helzapoppin! with Teatro dell’Elfo (directed by Gabriele Salvatores), Sior Todero Brontolon (with Gastone Moschin), Bye Bye Show Bizz (directed by Jérôme Savary), Lucrezia Borgia in Campo San Lorenzo (directed by Antoine Vitez). He also coordinated, on behalf of Giorgio Gaber, the collateral activities of the theater festival La Mostra del Teatro, promoted by Teatro Goldoni. 

He has worked in many major Italian theaters (Bologna, Genoa, Rome, Verona, among others) and frequently abroad (Barcelona, Paris, Lyon, Montreal, Sydney, Lisbon, Pretoria, Nice), participating in prestigious international festivals (Buxton, Athens, Hamburg, Brussels, Guanajuato, Strasbourg, Edinburgh, St. Andrews). As part of the EuroMediterranean “Cultures of the Sea” project, he coordinated two editions of the Italo-Albanian Cultural Cooperation Festival in Tirana. 

Among his many roles, notably, he served as Technical-Artistic Director of the Autumn Musical Festival in Como in 1999 and 2000. He was the organizational head of La Fenice's tours in Tokyo (2001, 2005, and 2013) and Beijing. 

He has conceived and managed major "total animation" projects, such as Thessaloniki – Capital of Culture, or the official Ambrosian Events opening at Milan Cathedral. In Venice, he created and staged the concert-performance Song of the Spirits Over the Waters, held in St. Mark’s Basilica for the 30th anniversary of the 1966 Great Flood. 

He has carried out extensive academic and research activity, specializing in Commedia dell'Arte and Renaissance Theater. He has published various works, including the first Italian translation of certain French medieval classics, and has taught and held workshops in Italy (VenetoMusica, Veneto Region, Teatro Stabile del Veneto) and abroad (Quebec Conservatory, University of Belgrade, Arts Institute of Mexico City). He has written several television programs for various networks. 

As a director since 1980, he quickly gained recognition for his focus on 17th- and 18th-century musical and non-musical theater, especially of Venetian origin. His debut included productions such as Il caffè di campagna by Galuppi, Prima la musica poi le parole by Salieri, and Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor. This was followed by acclaimed productions of The Barber of Seville, Britten’s Noye's Fludde, La Bohème, Tosca and Manon Lescaut by Puccini, Il campanello by Donizetti, as well as world premieres of Lego by Nicola Campogrande and the musical A Provincial in Paris based on Molière, The Merry Widow, and more recently Lady, Be Good! in its original American version at Teatro São Carlos in Lisbon. 

His production of La Sonnambula (with Maestro Ferro as musical director) gained significant TV attention. 

He successfully staged lesser-known works like Gina by Francesco Cilea and Le metamorfosi di Pasquale by Gaspare Spontini at Teatro Pergolesi in Jesi, and the premiere of Donizetti’s Pietro il Grande for the Festival della Valle d'Itria in Martina Franca. His more recent works include L’inganno felice, La scala di seta, and Il signor Bruschino (also at Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza), all earning widespread acclaim, along with recent productions of The Barber of Seville, L’elisir d’amore, and an outstanding L’italiana in Algeri at La Fenice. 

His ventures into the Baroque world have included Dafne by Caldara at the Doge’s Palace and Vivaldi’s L’Olimpiade, broadcast by RAI and produced by the Vicenza in Lirica Festival at Teatro Olimpico. He also staged La diavolessa, a rare Goldoni/Galuppi work. 

Recently, he revived at Teatro San Carlo in Naples a legendary production of Aida (Bolognini–Ceroli–Buti) and staged a praised La Sonnambula at Teatro Lirico in Cagliari. He also created a new production of The Barber of Seville at the Kazan Opera House for the opening of the Shalyapin Festival. 

His recent La Bohème production for Treviso (Del Monaco), Padua (Verdi), and Rovigo (Sociale) attracted strong interest for its innovative staging. 

His latest projects include L’elisir d’amore in Treviso and Rovigo, and a highly acclaimed La Cenerentola by Rossini at the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, regarded by many as the finest production of this classic in the last decade. 

He recently presented a previously unknown 18th-century opera, Arcifanfano, King of the Fools, with a libretto by Carlo Goldoni and music by Baldassarre Galuppi. The text and score were rediscovered and reconstructed after many years of dramaturgical and musical research. 

As a drama director, he has signed numerous plays: La finta ammalata and Le morbinose by Goldoni, Turandot and Il corvo by Gozzi, I mariti by Torelli, and I nobili Ragusei by Marin Držić. He has shown special interest in minor works by great 17th- and 18th-century playwrights, reviving and staging previously unknown pieces such as Lo schiavetto by Andreini and La turca by Della Porta. His staging of Alfabeto dei Villani was especially noted at the Classical Theater Festival at Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza. 

In Venice, he directed the special project Svevo in Venice by Paolo Puppa with Alberto Lionello at Teatro Goldoni and Uno di quelli che fanno i re with Giancarlo and Mattia Sbragia (produced by the Venice Biennale) focused on the figure of Orson Welles. 

He served for years as Director of Production and Scenic and Technical Organization at the La Fenice Theater Foundation, also coordinating the artistic and organizational aspects of the “Atelier al Teatro Malibran” project with the Venice Academy of Fine Arts. Since 2013, he has been on the Board of Directors of Teatro Stabile del Veneto “Carlo Goldoni”, where he also served as Artistic Consultant until 2022. 

He conceived and realized the Maggio Musicale a Marghera project in collaboration with the City of Venice and the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory of Music, also directing productions of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci. 
 

OPERA DIRECTION
IL CAFFE' DI CAMPAGNA by B. Galluppi Teatro Goldoni, Venice
BELLE ÉPOQUE EVENING Teatro la Fenice, Venice
PRIMA LA MUSICA, POI LE PAROLE.... by A. Salieri Comunale di Treviso
L'IMPRESARIO TEATRALE by W. A. Mozart Comunale di Treviso
PIGMALIONE by G. Provesi Comunale di Treviso
PIMMALIONE by F. Cimador Comunale di Treviso
LA BOHEME by G. Puccini Teatro Verdi di Padova
COSTRUIAMO UNA CITTA' by H. Hindemith Teatro la Fenice, Venice
TOSCA by G. Puccini Teatro Verdi di Padova
IL PICCOLO SPAZZACAMINO by B. Britten Festival del 900, Trento
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA by G. Rossini Teatro la Fenice, Venice
IL CAMPANELLO by G. Donizetti Teatro Mancinelli, Orvieto
IL SUONO DELLA TUA VOCE SQUILLANTE Duomo di Milano, Official Ambrosian Celebrations
L'ARCA DI NOE' by B. Britten Teatro la Fenice, Venice
IL CANTICO DEI CANTICI E PADRE TUROLDO Duomo di Milano, Cathedral of Zagreb - Lombardy Europe Music 2000
CANTO DEGLI SPIRITI SOPRA LE ACQUE Basilica S.Marco, Venice, Thirtieth Anniversary of the Great High Water
CONCERTO DELLE RELIGIONI Teatro El Grec, Barcelona, texts and music of the Abrahamic religions
ONES DEL MAR Castillo d'Empuries, texts and music of the Occitan tradition
AIDA by Giuseppe Verdi - Lufton Stadium, Pretoria, SA
TOSCA by Giacomo Puccini - Teatro la Fenice/Teatro Verdi, Padova
LEGO by Nicola Campogrande - Arena di Verona Foundation
MANON LESCAUT by Giacomo Puccini - Arena di Hedeland, Copenhagen
MANON LESCAUT by Giacomo Puccini - Teatro Verdi, Padova
LADY, BE GOOD! by George Gershwin - Teatro São Carlos, Lisbon
TOSCA by Giacomo Puccini - Palafenice, Venice
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA by Gioachino Rossini - Teatro Verdi, Padova
OMAGGIO A GEORGE GERSHWIN (Around Porgy and Bess) Teatro la Fenice, Venice
L'ELISIR D'AMORE by Gaetano Donizetti - Teatro Malibran, Venice
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA by Pietro Mascagni - Festival di Pergine Valsugana
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA by Gioachino Rossini - Teatro Malibran, Venice
PIETRO IL GRANDE by Gaetano Donizetti - Festival della Valle d'Itria
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA by Gioachino Rossini - Teatro la Fenice, Venice
L'ELISIR D'AMORE by Gaetano Donizetti - Teatro la Fenice, Venice
L'INGANNO FELICE by Gioachino Rossini - Teatro Malibran, Venice
LA SONNAMBULA by Vincenzo Bellini - Teatro la Fenice, Venice
TOSCA by Giacomo Puccini - MEOF
L'ELISIR D'AMORE by Gaetano Donizetti - Teatro la Fenice, Venice
LA SCALA DI SETA by Gioachino Rossini - Teatro Malibran, Venice
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA by Gioachino Rossini - Teatro la Fenice, Venice
LA SCALA DI SETA by Gioachino Rossini - Teatro Comunale, Sassari
IL SIGNOR BRUSCHINO by Gioachino Rossini - Teatro Malibran, Venice
L'ELISIR D'AMORE by Gaetano Donizetti - Teatro la Fenice, Venice
IL SIGNOR BRUSCHINO by Gioachino Rossini - Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza
LA SCALA DI SETA by Gioachino Rossini - Teatro Malibran, Venice
DAFNE by Antonio Caldara - Palazzo Ducale, Venice
AGENZIA MATRIMONIALE by Roberto Hazon
IL SEGRETO DI SUSANNA by Ermanno Wolf Ferrari - Teatro Malibran, Venice
L'ELISIR D'AMORE by Gaetano Donizetti - Royal Opera House, Muscat (Oman)
GINA by Francesco Cilea - Teatro Malibran, Venice
LE METAMORFOSI DI PASQUALE by Gaspare Spontini - Teatro Malibran, Venice
LA SONNAMBULA by Vincenzo Bellini - Teatro del Maggio Musicale, Florence
LE METAMORFOSI DI PASQUALE by Gaspare Spontini - Teatro Pergolesi, Jesi
L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI by Gioachino Rossini - Teatro la Fenice, Venice
LA DIAVOLESSA by Baldassare Galuppi - Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza
AIDA by Giuseppe Verdi - Teatro la Fenice, Venice
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA by Gioachino Rossini - Teatro la Fenice, Venice
OLIMPIADE by Antonio Vivaldi - Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza
AIDA by Giuseppe Verdi directorial reworking from M.Bolognini's original - Teatro San Carlo, Naples
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA by Gioachino Rossini Teatro dell'Opera, Kazan - Saliapin 150 Festival
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA by Pietro Mascagni Maggio Musicale, Venice/Marghera
LA SONNAMBULA by Vincenzo Bellini - Teatro Lirico, Cagliari
BOHEME by Giacomo Puccini - Teatro Verdi, Padova
BOHEME by Giacomo Puccini - Teatro Del Monaco, Treviso
BOHEME by Giacomo Puccini - Teatro Sociale, Rovigo
PAGLIACCI by Ruggero Leoncavallo - Maggio Musicale, Venice/Marghera
LA CENERENTOLA by Gioachino Rossini Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza
L'ELISIR D'AMORE by Gaetano Donizetti - Teatro Del Monaco, Treviso
L'ELISIR D'AMORE by Gaetano Donizetti - Teatro Sociale, Rovigo
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA by Gioachino Rossini Teatro la Fenice, Venice
ARCIFANFANO RE DEI MATTI by Carlo Goldoni/Baldassarre Galuppi - Teatro Malibran (prod. Fenice), Venice

THEATRICAL DIRECTION
UNO DI QUELLI CHE FANNO I RE by Welles-Fink - Teatro Goldoni, Venice - with Giancarlo and Mattia Sbragia
SVEVO A VENEZIA by Paolo Puppa - with Alberto Lionello Teatro Goldoni, Venice
MORALITA' E MIRACOLI Anonymous French from 1400 - Teatro Avogaria
ANCONITANA by Ruzante Teatro Avogaria
ORNEMUS Anonymous from 1500 - Teatro Avogaria
LA FINTA AMMALATA by C. Goldoni - Cervantino Festival, Mexico - Buxton Festival (GB)
I NOBILI RAGUSEI by M. Drzic. Teatro Italiano, Fiume
IL CORVO by C. Gozzi - Cervantino Festival, Mexico - Lisbon Festival
LA TURCA by G. B. Della Porta - Venice Biennale
GLI AMORI SENILI Anonymous from 1600 - Teatro Avogaria
IL CAVALIER GIOCONDO by C. Goldoni - Teatro Avogaria
LO SCHIAVETTO by G. B. Andreini - Teatro Avogaria
TURANDOT by C. Gozzi - Teatro Avogaria
FANTASIE GIUDIZIARIE by G. Courteline - Teatro Avogaria
LE MORBINOSE by C. Goldoni - Teatro Avogaria
LA SCALA DEI BUFFONI from M. Troiano and O. Di Lasso - 450th Lassiano in Landshut
ARCIFANFANO RE DEI MATTI by C. Goldoni - TeatroEstate, Venice
MOLIERISSIMO from Molière - Teatro S. Saba, Rome
L'ALFABETO DEI VILLANI from Ruzante and others from 1500 - Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza
I MARITI by Achille Torelli - Teatro Avogaria
L'ALFABETO DEI VILLANI from Ruzante and others from 1500 - Teatro Avogaria

CO-DIRECTION
CRISPINO E LA COMARE by the Ricci Brothers titular director R.De Simone - Teatro Malibran, Venice
CRISPINO E LA COMARE by the Ricci Brothers titular director R.De Simone - Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Paris
L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI by Gioachino Rossini titular director R.De Simone - Teatro Comunale, Bologna
L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI by Gioachino Rossini titular director R.De Simone - Teatro Fraschini, Pavia
L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI by Gioachino Rossini titular director R.De Simone - Teatro Grande, Brescia
AIDA by Giuseppe Verdi titular director M.Bolognini - Teatro dell'Opera, Rome
AIDA by Giuseppe Verdi titular director M.Bolognini - Teatro Petruzzelli, Bari
AIDA by Giuseppe Verdi titular director M.Bolognini - Teatro Sferisterio, Macerata
AIDA by Giuseppe Verdi titular director M.Bolognini - Teatro Romano, Benevento
AIDA by Giuseppe Verdi titular director M.Bolognini - Teatro la Fenice, Venice
AIDA by Giuseppe Verdi titular director M.Bolognini - New Football Stadium, Sydney
ADRIANA LECOUVREUR by Francesco Cilea titular director M.Bolognini - Teatro la Fenice, Venice
LA VEDOVA ALLEGRA by Franz Lehar titular director M.Bolognini - Teatro Comunale, Bologna
I PURITANI by Vincenzo Bellini titular director Graham Vick - Opéra de Nice
EVGENIJ ONEGIN by P. I. Tchaikovsky titular director Andrei Serban - Teatro de São Carlos, Lisbon
EVGENIJ ONEGIN by P. I. Tchaikovsky titular director Andrei Serban - Teatro la Fenice, Venice
SIMON BOCCANEGRA by Giuseppe Verdi titular director Pier'Alli - Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa

OTHER EVENTS
ART MARKET FAIR ANIMATIONS Palazzo Grassi Venice, 1983
FASHION SHOW Campo della Salute Venice, 1986
FASHION SHOW Villa Widmann-Foscari Riviera del Brenta, 1986
PALAIS ROYAL INAUGURATION Paris, 1987
FASHION SHOW Venice Casino 1987
CAMPIELLO LITERARY PRIZE, Award ceremony live on TV Venice, 1989 and 1996
INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, Award ceremony live on TV Venice, 1990
COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE SCENES, Animations for Carnival in S.Marco Venice, 1991 and 1992
INAUGURATION OF CAFE' CHANTANT "Venetian Salon" Venice, 1991
THE ACTORS TELL: M. Melato, S. Castellitto, D. Fo, G. Lavia Venice, 1991
VOYAGE A VENISE Itinerary Program for TF1 Venice-Paris, 1995
THE VENICE CARNIVAL IN THESSALONIKI (Thessaloniki European Capital of Culture) Thessaloniki, 1997
TRIBUTE TO SICILIAN CREATIVITY, Inauguration of the Theater of Noto Noto (SR), 1997
ITALIAN-ALBANIAN CULTURAL COOPERATION DAYS, 1st edition Tirana, 1997
THE JOURNEY OF FAITH BEYOND THE ALPS, Lombardy Europe Music 2000 Basilica of S.Marco, Milan 1998
ITALIAN-ALBANIAN CULTURAL COOPERATION DAYS, 2nd edition Tirana, 1998
IL CANTO DELLA RANA, Duomo- Cremona, 1999
CAVALCHINA ALLA FENICE from 2007 to 2015