In Parma's Via Burla prison, opera becomes a way of redemption. For the past six years, a choir of approximately thirty inmates ranging in age from 18 to 50 has filled the cells with Verdi arias and folk songs. The project, titled ‘Opera in Carcere’ (Opera in Prison), is promoted by the Teatro Regio di Parma as part of the Verdi Off festival, in collaboration with the prison administration and the municipality. Gabriella Corsaro, a soprano, leads the group and teaches music as a language of freedom. "In prison", she claims, "you lose freedom but not dignity. Singing boosts self-esteem and provides a sense of belonging". Rehearsals are held twice a week, and include vocalizations, breathing exercises, solfeggio, and a touch of irony to help relieve tension. Each year, the choir performs a piece from the Verdi Festival in the prison's theater, with sets designed by the inmates themselves. The experience also included foreign artists, and in 2023, music critics awarded them the Abbiati Prize "for transforming opera into an opportunity for encounter and rebirth". In Parma, a cultural welfare pioneering city, culture serves as a link between jail and society. "By following the discipline of music", explains Corsaro, "you learn to respect others and free your heart”.