‘Bel Canto’: ‘The Sea Beyond’ Stars & Others Join Rai’s Italian Opera Drama As Production Begins; Netflix Italy Nears Second Window Deal
23.01.2024 - 09:07
/ deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: The Sea Beyond stars Giacomo Giorgio and Serena de Ferrari are among several Italian actors who have boarded Rai’s ambitious opera drama Bel Canto, which went into production this week.
Notably, Caterina Ferioli (The Tearsmith) and Adriana Savarese have landed the key roles as teenage sisters Carolina and Antonia, whose close friendship is tested by desires to become Italian opera singers.
Vincenzo Ferrera, another The Sea Beyond actor, has also joined the cast, alongside Andrea Bosca (The Beautiful Summer, Drifters), Nicolo Pasetti (The Queen’s Gambit, Industry), Carmine Ricarno (Loose Cannons), and Antonio Gerardi (The Last Paradiso, The Lions of Sicily).
The series is among the highest profile drama series coming to of Europe this year. Production on the €15M ($16.3M) budget series began yesterday, with filming set to to take place in Naples, Rome and other parts of Italy such as the town of Pavia in Lombardia. France’s Newen Connect is handling international sales. The show will debut on Italian state broadcaster Rai, likely in 2025.
We hear Netflix Italy is close to a second window deal, similar to the agreement for The Sea Beyond, which is among the biggest Italian hits of recent years. After launching on Rai to big ratings, the crime drama grabbed a second local audience when it later launched on the streamer. The hopes are Bel Canto will do the same.
As we revealed in September, Bel Canto is set to star Vittoria Puccini (The Trial) and be directed by Carmine Elia, who has directed multiple episodes of The Sea Beyond. Several other Sea Beyond production crew are attached, and the series comes from the same international co-productions unit at Rai.
The show was first pitched at Berlin’s Co-Pro Series