“In volo”: the new season of the Teatro Biondo of Palermo between prose, dance and music, for a program full of novelties, classics and new writings

Twenty-seven shows distributed between Sala Grande and Sala Strehler, of which eighteen productions or co-productions, a special project with the choreographer Carolyn Carlsona fairy tale danced with the artists of Aterballetto and a major exhibition to celebrate the set and costume designer’s ninetieth birthday Santuzza Calì. These are the numbers of the new season of Biondo Theater in Palermo titled In flightwho is the director Pamela Villoresi and the president Giovanni Puglisi presented this morning in the presence of numerous artists.

The season, which will be presented to the city on September 28th on the occasion of the inauguration of an exhibition dedicated to Santuzza Calìwill start on October 12th with the return of the laboratory Motion, time, spaceThat Carolyn Carlson will interpret together with the students of the “School of acting and stage professions” of the Biondo Theater. It will then make its debut in the national premiere War and peace Of Leo Tolstoy in the adaptation by Gianni Garrera directed by Luca De Fusco and played by Pamela Villoresi, Francesco Biscione, Raffaele Esposito, Giacinto Palmarini, Paolo Serra, Federico Vanni, Mersila Sokoli, Alessandra Pacifico, Lucia Cammalleri, Eleonora De Luca.

«We want to imagine this new season of the Teatro Biondo – says president Giovanni Puglisi – like a viaticum for a journey of transition, a wealth of reflections, words, images and concepts that help us ferry the world towards an era of more solid certainties and renewed humanism. Theatre, today more than ever, in our era of uncertainty and disorder, can help us understand history and the present, providing the tools to read reality and transform it. The Theater is judge of the present and oracle of the future. With our cultural offering, through the recovery of the classics and the proposal of new writings, we therefore want to bring the community together around the great contemporary themes, to discuss them together, to think and share emotions, emotions and joys.”

“In these years – explains Pamela Villoresi – we have ferried stories and thoughts, we have been “almost heroes” in claustrophobic years, and we have sunk our research into the roots of our culture and our hearts. Above all we spent precious time at the Theater and had fun. It’s time to take flight, to soar into the landscapes of culture, beyond the news, to expand our vision beyond the walls, the borders and the known, to better understand the drama of the conflicts we have on our doorstep. A surprising new season awaits you. We will propose the best shows in circulation, our productions will always pay attention to the new, the classic, the beautiful and original things; and our co-productions will put our signature on the most interesting proposals of Italian and international theatre. Our programs are aimed at all spectators, because everyone has the right to feel at home and to recognize themselves on our stages.”

For the councilor Maurizio Carta, on behalf of the Municipality of Palermo, «this season represents a way to nourish the extraordinary diversity that cultural policies offer to the national and international community. Once again it is demonstrated that Palermo is a theater city, not only for its artistic production and extraordinary reputation in the cultural context, of which the Biondo is one of the cornerstones, but because in its ways it is itself a theater city. It is therefore important that the theater not only interprets the maximum of artistic production but also that, in some way, it promotes this sensitivity, this passion, so that each of us, with our own bodies, daily performs our own theatricality in city”.

Among the productions and co-productions the following stand out: Extra Moenia Of Emma Dante (national premiere on 22 November) with Roberto Burgio, Italia Carroccio, Adriano Di Carlo, Angelica Di Pace, Silvia Giuffrè, Gabriele Greco, Francesca Laviosa, David Leone, Peppe Marino, Giuditta Perriera, Ivano Picciallo, Leonarda Saffi, Daniele Savarino, Sabrina Vicari; The great magic Of Eduardo De Filippodirected by Gabriele Russowith Natalino Balasso, Michele Di Mauro; The Headlands – The places of the mind Of Christopher Chen directed by Simone Ferrari & Lulu Helbækcross-media artists known internationally for the audacity and originality of their creations; The dark evil Of Giuseppe Berto in the adaptation of Giuseppe Dipasqualewho will direct the protagonists Alessio Vassallo And Ninni Bruschetta; Therese Of Stefano Ricci with Donatella Finocchiarowhich will talk about contemporary discomfort starting from the famous naturalist novel Therese Raquin by Émile Zola; Crazy earth Of Vincenzo Rabito in the adaptation and with the interpretation of Vincenzo Pirrotta; A thousand ways to say I love you Of Neil LaBute in the staging of Luca Mazzone with Roberta Caronia; The calapranzi Of Harold Pinter directed by Roberto Rustioni with Dario Aita And Giuseppe Scoditti; Memoirs of a slave Of Wilma Stockenström in the staging of Gigi Di Luca with Pamela Villloresi and the griot African Baba Sissoko; the farcical tale in music One day the ant with Paris Benassai, Eugenio Mastrandrea, Mario Incudine.

For children’s theatre, an original mix of words, music and dance is envisaged: Extravagances in G minor Of Toti Scialojadirected and choreographed by Francesca Lattuada with the Aterballetto dancer Vittoria Franchina and the bass-baritone Piersilvio De Santis.

Also during this new season the Teatro Biondo will dedicate particular attention to Sicilian dramaturgy, bringing to the stage Day and night Of Beatrice Monroydirection Cinzia Maccagnano; Astolfo 13 Of Giulio Musso And Federico Pipia; Like Kiribati Of Giuseppe Provinzanothird chapter of Crisis Trilogy; Ultimafata Of Chicca Cosentino from Elsa Morante; Dialogue between a prostitute and her client Of Dacia Maraini; But why is it always Christmas? from the novel of the same name by Rosemarie Tasca D’Almeritaadaptation and direction Ferrante/De Grandi.

Among the hospitality, among others will arrive: Zeno’s conscience Of Italo Svevodirected by Paolo Valerio with Alessandro Haber; Antony and Cleopatra Of William Shakespearea show by Valter Malosti played by himself together with Anna Della Rosa, Danilo Nigrelli, Massimo Verdastro; Sarabande Of Ingmar Bergman directed by Roberto Andòwith Renato Carpentieri, Royal Alvia, Elijah Schilton, Caterina Tieghi; Franciscus – The madman who spoke to the birds of and with Simone Cristicchi; Cassandra of and with Elisabetta Pozzi; The assignment Of Raymond Carveradaptation and direction Luca Bargagnawith Silvia Ajelli And Arturo Muselli.