A very successful evening last Saturday 23 March, at the Politeama Italia of Bisceglie with the show “Operetta souvenirs”.
The event “Operetta souvenirs”included in the celebrations for the 100 years of Politeama Italia, last Saturday proposed an evening dedicated to the fascinating world of Operetta and its protagonists.
The professor Antonella Valente, of Politeama Italia, greeted the audience in the room and introduced the evening, which took place in collaboration with the Union Club of Bisceglie and with the patronage of Municipality of Bisceglie, together with her the Dr. Donato De Cillis, President of the Circolo Unione and protagonist of the historic performances of the late ’80s.
President Donato De Cillis proposed an affectionate and moving memory of the prof. Eugenio Monopoli which, since the 1980s, created the first editions of evenings dedicated to the world of Operetta, starting with the show “Once upon a time there was Operetta”, which was followed by other editions and different productions.
A video, at the beginning of the evening, took the audience back in time to those first performances. Unique images to tell the protagonists of the time, the members of the Circolo Unione involved, friends and enthusiasts of the genre, coordinated by the engaging enthusiasm of the unforgettable Eugenio Monopoli which, with the Operette Company Souvenirs, directed by himself, he brought the world of Operetta to Bisceglie and to prestigious theaters around Italy, such as the Metropolitan of Siena.
Among the names remembered by Donato De Cillis: Giusy Gargiuloprotagonist as a soubrette and dance teacher with her dance school, Enzo Galantino, Ezia Ferrante, Mino Dell’Orco, the teacher Lombard. It is worth remembering that among the musicians in that very first edition were present such as amateurs esteemed fellow citizens of Bisceglie like Sergio Di Clemente, Sergio Albrizio, the doctor Giuseppe Di Terlizzi and, with them, Mirella Sasso And Clelia Sguera, then at the beginning of their violin studies, then become professional musicians.
For this edition the baton has passed to Carlo Monopoli, creator of the project and histrionic protagonist of funny films sketch with his wife, Raffaella Montini, in the dual role of soprano and showgirl. Carlo Monopoli, who has supported his father many times in the past, confirmed himself as a brilliant actor and a fine singer, demonstrating professionalism and specific competence of the genre and providing, together with his wife, hilarious and entertaining moments of genuine hilarity.
With them on stage the soprano Lucia De Bariprotagonist of past editions of the Operetta, and Leonardo Gramegnafor the first time involved in an entirely operetta programme.
The AlterAzioni Quartet enriched the show with live music: Clelia Sguera And Matteo Notarangelo to violinsFrancesco Lisena to the viola and Donatella Milella on the cello. The performances, embellished by the brilliant elegance of the flautist Sergio Bonetti, have received widespread appreciation.
Particularly applauded were the instrumental performances of the delightful dance of the Schimmy It is in the Scugnizza’s Fox Trot, with the intense interpretation of the unforgettable Neapolitan which the audience followed with a very long round of applause. The maestros demonstrated great professionalism and musical sensitivity, helping to evoke emotions and very pleasant memories with their music.
The well-known maestro coordinated the singers and musicians Hippolytus Venturawho has always accompanied and directed the various operettas staged by both Carlo and Eugenio Monopoli.
On this occasion maestro Ventura was involved not only as the author of the unpublished and original arrangements created for the ensemblebut also as a pianist and conductor with rare competence, confirming his undisputed musical talent and enjoying personal success underlined by long and thunderous applause.
The program includes a series of some of the most famous arias in the repertoire, from The happy widowto The Land of Bells, tied from an imaginary journey between different landscapes, distant worlds, unforgettable protagonists.
“Operetta Souvenir”, with i BIS hey ter requested, it is confirmed as an original production which, with its success, recognizes the excellence of the Bisceglie talents involved in the staging.
A great celebration for Politeama Italia and for all the citizens who appreciated the choice made by Dr. Claudio Valente of wanting to propose, for the Centenaryalso a tribute to the world of Operetta, convinced of the valuable initiative.
An announced success, the audience in Hall A of Politeama Italia was packed and all the stages were also full. Among those present were many protagonists of the first hour as well as new enthusiasts. The comments of those present were enthusiastic: the brilliant voices and the excellence of the music were able to give everyone smiles, fun, lightness which, in a context of absolute artistic and organizational value, is never superficiality but always refined and delicate irony.
The enthusiasm and success give rise to hope for a continuation, perhaps with the staging of a new and unpublished operetta. Given the results, all that remains is to hope so.
Corriere di Puglia and Lucania editorial team
National Courier
