“This fantastic, exciting and evocative show creates a special and unique atmosphere.”
Ray Mia, Briton, one of the most innovative international film, theater and music producers, after attending a performance in the Gorges of Alcantara, cannot hide his enthusiasm for Dante’s Inferno, the blockbuster of records, the most watched in Sicily in the last five years. produced by Buongiorno Sicilia and Vision Sicily, dramaturgy and direction by Giovanni Anfuso.
“When in a theater production,” says Mia, “you start with an unattainable text like The Divine Comedy, it’s easier to make a mistake than to find the right size. Instead, there’s a great balance of language here, and I think the use of the river – I’ve never been to a show where the stage is natural gorges – is perfect.”
Mia has an incredible resume: she started working with Universal Music on artists such as The Beatles, Ennio Morricone, Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes, then in 2018 in Liverpool she founded the famous label Jacaranda Records and joined Thames Estuary Growth. Council, for sustainable development, capable of creating one and a half million new jobs. In addition, in 2022 he produced the highly successful theater season of The Christopher Marlowe Sessions, which features all of the works of the Elizabethan playwright, and this year, due to his reputation as a creative pioneer in immersive sound design, he was named President of Free Turn Strategy. Audio.
“Although my wife is from Motta Camastra,” he explains, “we haven’t been here in decades. Of course, I heard about representations in Alcantara, but due to work I stayed in America and Great Britain. Tonight I was blown away by this play: The Gorges with their icy water, the drama of Etna, minimalist lighting and interpretive music, fantastic acting, perfect actors and brilliant direction. There is a moment when the main characters go along the river and catch you. They pull the viewer into the scene and it’s really hard not to get excited. I think this is a big step forward for tourism in the Alcantara Valley.”
And in fact, there are a lot of tourists among the spectators of Inferno, thanks also to the trick of the district council of Elvira Amata. The latter actually invited the Producer to distribute in the living areas of the Valley, including in Taormina and Giardini Naxos, postcards from the show, on which, by inserting the QR codes on the back, you can see an evocative film about Inferno and read in five languages practical information about the series and a note on Dante and the Divine Comedy.
“The latter,” said Nuccio Angelico, curator of translations as a representative of the Yfu Italia Foundation, which takes care of the admission of foreign students to our secondary schools and the preparation of Italian students who will enter foreign institutions, “is determined by scientists. The first great work written in modern European language, a universal poem in the language of miracle.
Even the Italian tourists who came to see Inferno, intrigued by the postcard with QR codes, praised the show.
“A very remarkable stage system, performance and acting,” comments Antonello Antinolfi, a Neapolitan professional living in Milan, “in this environment that enhances the performance without ever falling into rhetoric, without presumption. A wonderful performance that I highly recommend watching because it is really worth it.”
“I would say,” adds Lucia Pavone from Vicenza, “that it was a great show: a great place and very good actors. I am of Sicilian origin, and when we came for the holidays and I heard about Inferno, we immediately decided to watch the show, it definitely lived up to expectations.”
As already announced, the replays of Dante’s Inferno, which are included in the Palco Al-Qantarah festival, are sponsored by MiC, the Ministry of Culture, Ars, the Entertainment Department of the Sicilian Region, Ente Parco Fluviale dell. “Alcantara and the municipality of Motta Camastra, as well as the sponsors Isola Bella Gioielli, Amaro Herbae and Bacco, typical pistachios, have been extended until September 3rd.
Inferno Cast: Liliana Randi (Narrator), Francesco Bonaccorso (Tourist and Charon), Angelo D’Agosta (Dante), Salvo Piro (Virgil), Giovanna Mangiu (Francesca da Rimini, Messenger from Heaven). , Davide Pandolfo (Chacko), Luca Fiorino (Farinata degli Uberti), Rosario Minardi (Ulysses), Davide Sbrogio (Ugolino), Gabriele D’Astoli (Paolo, Diomedes, Archbishop Ruggieri). Instead, the damned are Beatriz Caudullo, Manuela Grimaldi, Marta Marino, Valeria Mazzaglia, Enrica Pandolfo, Davide Peluso, Alfio Raiti, Lucio Rapisarda, Francesco Rizzo, and Gloria Triscita. Choreography by Fia Di Stefano, costumes by Riccardo Cappello, music by Nello Toscano, and special effects by Alfredo Vaccaluzzo. Mention should also be made of Simone Triscita, who is in charge of the overall organization, assistant director Agnese Failla, assistant director Lucia Rotondo, lighting designer Davide La Colla and sound designer Enzo Valenti.
Finally, as far as ticket sales are concerned, they can be purchased online from Boxoffice Sicilia (www.boxofficesicilia.it), but the production has reserved most of it for the Botteghino delle Gole, open every day from 19:30. For information, you can call Buongiorno Sicilia (347 638 0512) daily from 9 am to 9 pm for phone calls or whatsapp messages. Other news, even curiosities about the show, can finally be found on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/InfernoDiDanteOfficial/.
Stage photographs by Santo Consoli.
