The Conservatorio di Musica Cesare Pollini of Padova is proud to announce the premiere of Exchanges, a film-opera that blurs the lines between reality and stage fiction. Written and directed by Stefano Patarino, this innovative project reimagines Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Così fan tutte through a contemporary lens.

The screening will take place on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at 20:30 at the Sala Cinema Civica Fronte del Porto in Padova.

A Fusion of Art and International Collaboration

Exchanges is the result of an international creative laboratory involving key partners such as Hogent (KASK & Conservatorium) in Ghent, the Association Européenne des Conservatoires (AEC) in Brussels, and FilmArt Studio.

The project was developed under the Music Theatre and New Technologies (MTNT) program. This initiative, led by the Conservatorio Agostino Steffani, was a winner of the MUR (Ministry of University and Research) call within the framework of the PNRR, dedicated to the internationalization of Higher Arts and Music Education (AFAM) institutions. 

Register here

The Story: Life Imitates Art

The film follows four international Erasmus students tasked with portraying the lead roles in the Conservatorio’s production of the Mozartian masterpiece.

  • The Plot: As the students rehearse, they find themselves entangled in the same romantic exchanges and emotional simulations found in the original libretto.
  • The Cast: Guided by two singing teachers who play the manipulative roles of Don Alfonso and Despina, the boundary between the performers’ personal experiences and their stage personas disappears.
  • The Music: Features the Orchestra del Conservatorio di Padova, conducted by M° Fabrizio Da Ros, with a diverse cast of students and faculty from Italy, Belgium, Japan, the Netherlands, Albania, China, Spain, and Slovakia.

Event Details

  • Date & Time: Wednesday, April 8, 2026 | 20:30

  • Location: Sala Civica Cinema Fronte del Porto (Via Santa Maria Assunta 20, Padova)

  • Admission: Free entry

This project stands as a vibrant “ode to the power of international collaboration,” proving that opera remains a universal language capable of telling human stories like no other genre.

Register here