Mafia accusations

San Carlo Theater sues London maestro

Edward Gardner at the presentation of the "Officer of the British Empire" (OBE) award by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on November 16, 2012.(Bild: APA/AFP PHOTO/POOL/John Stillwell)

The San Carlo Theater in Naples, the oldest opera house in the world, has filed a lawsuit against Edward Gardner, conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. In an interview with the British daily newspaper "The Times", Gardner claimed that the members of the San Carlo Theater chorus belong to two "rival mafia families".

"These are very serious allegations that are completely unfounded. We will act to protect the reputation of the San Carlo Theater and its employees," said Gaetano Manfredi, Mayor of Naples and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the San Carlo Foundation, according to media reports.

The choristers of the San Carlo Theater in Naples also want to take action against Gardner for "defamatory statements". The renowned lawyers Angelo and Sergio Pisani have been commissioned to file a lawsuit, describing the accusations against the choir members as "unacceptable".

Statements defamatory
"The defamatory statements attributed to Gardner undermine the prestige of a cultural institution of worldwide importance. The San Carlo Theatre, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, is a cornerstone of Italian and European culture. Unfounded attacks such as these risk undermining the credibility of an institution that has made an important contribution to the dissemination of art and music for centuries," said the lawyers.

The director of the San Carlo Theatre since 2019 has been the Frenchman Stephane Lissner, whose term of office expires on March 31, 2025. The name of his successor is not yet known.