"I am happy to present the 66th edition of Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto and turn the spotlight...
I am proud to present the 66th edition of Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto and to have selected for you the artists and performances that best represent contemporary creativity in different performance fields. What from always guides my research is the attraction for ideas that push the boundaries of categories, discovering new worlds of expression and new spaces of intersection: a way to question ourselves and our preconceptions, to always keep our gaze high toward the future. It is in this spirit that I invite you to to browse through the pages that follow. In the program you will discover-and which Francesca Manica and Marco Ferullo curated with me-I am sure that everyone will be able to find their own key to interpretation. Connections, cross-references, references to what you will have already seen and what you absolutely must see will be the Ariadne's thread that will lead you from the beginning to the end of this extraordinary journey called Festival dei Due Mondi.
The musical proposal is developed to starting with the two great orchestras in residence, both international excellencies, that of the Budapest Festival conducted from Iván Fischer, engaged this year in a new production d'Opera, and the national one of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia with conductors Jakub Hrůša and Antonio Pappano for the two symphony concerts of opening and closing. Around to them revolve the from midday chamber events involving not only the Budapest musicians but also those of the Perugia Orchestra from Camera for a cycle all about animals in music. The relationship between humans, nature and other living species on the planet runs through the entire program, which questions the feelings of human relationships, love and death, identity and diversity, justice and discrimination. For the new production of Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande by Iván Fischer and Marco Gandini, we are looking forward to an unconventional experience accompanied by the presence of a cast of the highest caliber. I am delighted that Silvia Costa, who stages Messiaen's Lieder Harawi cycle again for a new Festival production, has accepted our invitation. Laetitia Casta stars in a new musical theater project, while the great voices of Rhiannon Giddens and Imany or the talent of Cameron Carpenter on organ, the electronics of Max Cooper, with a live audio-video performance, and the scratchy timbre of African-American artist Lonnie Holley stand out.
For dance I am particularly happy to present Benjamin Millepied's new project with Alexandre Tharaud, which sees the choreographer's return to dance, and of the two new productions signed Sharon Eyal - Gai Behar, Into the Hairy with Christian Dior costumes, and Marie Chouinard with the new " M ". At Teatro Romano comes Marco Goecke while étoile Fernando Montaño reinterprets Kafkaesque metamorphoses with a dance gala. Innovative duo Jonas&Lander play their carte blanche with three performances.
Theater looks to Italian directors and performers: Leonardo Lidi tackles Uncle Vanya in his second leg of the trilogy on Chekhov born to Spoleto, Antonio Latella tests the students of the Silvio d'Amico Academy with a tribute to Massimo Binazzi, Luca Marinelli and Fabian Jung interrogate Kafka's Monkey in A Relationship for an Academy, Silvio Orlando stars in Ciarlatani from Los Farsantes by Spanish playwright Pablo Remón while Alessandro Baricco stages Thucydides with Stefania Rocca and Valeria Solarino, accompanied by music by Giovanni Sollima and the 100 cellos. Sergio Blanco lands at the Festival with his Divina Invención while Giorgio Flamini's project with prisoners for a Shakespearean "dream" continues with special initiatives on the "World That Doesn't Exist" and collaboration with Rai For Sustainability.
Around the official playbill, the prestigious side events, meetings and special events make Spoleto a living place of artistic creation of our times.
Finally, let me thank the Ministry of Culture, the Region of Umbria and the City of Spoleto for their support and recognition of the cultural value of Festival dei Due Mondi, the Foundation's Board of Directors and staff, the city, public institutions, Italian and foreign sponsors and partners, the Patrons and Spoleto Festival Friends. Together to we make all this possible every year.