Pereira, the cultural director, must answer to the public prosecutor in Florence

Alexandre Pereira, director of the Florentine opera house Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, has to account for the elimination of his expenses. Investigations have been launched against the Director of Culture for embezzlement of funds. Pereira said in a press release Monday evening that he will meet on February 9 with the public prosecutor for the investigation in Florence.

“Basically, these are the facts that have been widely circulated in the media recently. I will repeat and make clear to the judicial authorities what I have always said in all bodies, including the Florence City Control Commission, namely, that it is an expense that is associated with and necessary for the exercise of my mandate as technical director “, Pereira explained.

The right-wing party asked

The right-wing Fratelli d’Italia (FdI), the group of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, made a request last year to the Tuscany region and the Florence city council, represented on the opera house’s supervisory board, for information on obtaining Pereira’s expenses. In 2021 Pereira spent €60,000 with a theater credit card, and in the first four months of 2022 the amount was €14,000, the party reported.

Expenses include visits to restaurants in Ibiza. 3,800 euros were spent at an auction house in Berlin. Pereira also provided invoices to fishmongers, butchers, and bakeries. The artistic director defended himself, claiming that he had invited artists from the opera house to his house and cooked food for them in a “friendly and relaxed atmosphere”. This justifies the expense at the fishmonger.

Pereira support

The management of the theater strengthened the back of Pereira – who was the director of the Salzburg Festival. In a letter, she said she trusted the work of the judiciary and that Pereira would be able to “fully clarify his positions”.

Fratelli d’Italia sees the situation differently. Francesco Torricelli, head of the foreign direct investment group at the Tuscany Regional Council, commented: “We have done our duty to report Pereira’s disproportionate and unreasonable spending. We now trust the judiciary and await the outcome of the investigation. We invite Pereira to consider resigning.” Alessandro Draghi, the leader of the group in the municipal council of Florence.

The Director of Culture in Vienna has been the artistic director of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino since 2019. Prior to that he was director of La Scala in Milan. From 2012 to 2014 he was artistic director of the Salzburg Festival.