Andrea Cigni’s production of “Pia de’ Tolomei,” a 19th-century opera by Gaetano Donizetti that has its origins in Dante's "Purgatory," comes to the United States after playing limited engagements at three theaters in Italy in late 2017 and early 2018. While the opera in Charleston features a mostly new company of singers, Cigni’s production includes the original set.

“We try to evoke something,” Cigni said. “We would like to suggest something. I think the theater has a responsibility to give some information, and the audience has the other responsibility to take this information and create a message.”