Napoli Teatro Festival Italia
Encyclopedia
The Napoli Teatro Festival Italia is an international festival
which takes place every year during the month of June in Naples
, Italy. The Festival’s organization selects, produces and commissions plays, exhibitions and artistic performances, involving artists from all over the world for the elaboration and representation of international and multicultural creations. Along with the artistic activities, the Festival also offers the possibility of creating new planning and production partnerships with national and international institutions, it promotes training courses and enhances historical monuments, which are used as the plays’ locations. Moreover, the Festival promotes and produces the European Theatre Company, the first company whose members are professional actors from the European Union.
and the Festival d'Avignon
. Many Italian cities with great performing tradition such as Milan
, Venice
and Genoa
participated, but in the end the city of Naples
was chosen. In August 2007, the Region of Campania
created the Campania Festival Foundation, with Rachele Furfaro as the chairman, with the aim of realizing the project of the first theatrical festival in Naples. Renato Quaglia, who had been the organizing director of the Venice Biennale
was chosen as the artistic and organizing director.
: beside many local theatres (San Carlo Theatre, Bellini Theatre, Mercadante – Teatro Stabile of Naples, etc.), the plays are also organized in non theatrical structures, such as the Bourbon Hospice for the Poor, which is now one of the locations of the Festival, and other stages which are occasionally chosen for the shows, such as the Darsena Acton, the roof of the Arts Academy of Naples, the Undergrounds of the city, churches and monuments.
, the one that connects Karesuvanto
(Finland), to Gela
(Sicily
), passing through Naples
. The first edition of the E45 has brought on stage 27 shows, chosen from a very wide selection, in several theatres of the city. Two of the plays were chosen for the 2010 official edition of the Festival. The 2010 edition of the E45 Naples Fringe Festival will present 39 plays selected among more than 250 of the presented projects.
. In 2009 it was entrusted to David Lescot, who wrote and directed the play L’Européenne, which was produced in collaboration with the Théâtre de la Ville
theatre in Paris. For the 2010 edition, the English director Alexander Zeldin
will bring on stage Romeo and Juliet
, produced in collaboration with the Théâtre de la Ville theatre in Paris, the National Theatre Studio
in London and the Teatro Stabile in Naples
, involving Italian and English artists along with second generation citizens, belonging to communities that have been in Italy for many years.
(communitary system of eco-management). The Festival’s sustainable ecological management has been guaranteed by monitoring the environmental impact of its activities, from the functioning of its offices to the production of the set designs, from the construction sites to the transportation, the use of electric power and other polluting factors. Moreover, part of the Festival’s electrical needs are covered by the use of solar power, produced in a photovoltaic plant currently under construction.
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
which takes place every year during the month of June in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy. The Festival’s organization selects, produces and commissions plays, exhibitions and artistic performances, involving artists from all over the world for the elaboration and representation of international and multicultural creations. Along with the artistic activities, the Festival also offers the possibility of creating new planning and production partnerships with national and international institutions, it promotes training courses and enhances historical monuments, which are used as the plays’ locations. Moreover, the Festival promotes and produces the European Theatre Company, the first company whose members are professional actors from the European Union.
History
In 2006 the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities published a project announcement with the idea of realizing an International theatre festival that could compare with established European models such as The Edinburgh International FestivalEdinburgh International Festival
The Edinburgh International Festival is a festival of performing arts that takes place in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, over three weeks from around the middle of August. By invitation from the Festival Director, the International Festival brings top class performers of music , theatre, opera...
and the Festival d'Avignon
Festival d'Avignon
The Festival d'Avignon, or Avignon Festival, is an annual arts festival held in the French city of Avignon. Founded in 1947 by Jean Vilar, it is the oldest extant festival in France and one of the world's greatest...
. Many Italian cities with great performing tradition such as Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
participated, but in the end the city of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
was chosen. In August 2007, the Region of Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
created the Campania Festival Foundation, with Rachele Furfaro as the chairman, with the aim of realizing the project of the first theatrical festival in Naples. Renato Quaglia, who had been the organizing director of the Venice Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
was chosen as the artistic and organizing director.
Editions
More than 2000 artists from 17 countries have been involved in the first edition, in June 2008. The original works, created expressively for the Festival, were 17 out of 40 total debuts. The second edition of the Festival, in June 2009, was enriched with the institution of the “Over the seas Festival” (in collaboration with the San Carlo Theatre) and of the Fringe Festival. Eighty-three plays were performed with the support of artists from 24 countries and more than 70.000 people in the audience.Locations
The Napoli Teatro Festival Italia is an event that covers all the metropolitan area of the city of NaplesNaples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
: beside many local theatres (San Carlo Theatre, Bellini Theatre, Mercadante – Teatro Stabile of Naples, etc.), the plays are also organized in non theatrical structures, such as the Bourbon Hospice for the Poor, which is now one of the locations of the Festival, and other stages which are occasionally chosen for the shows, such as the Darsena Acton, the roof of the Arts Academy of Naples, the Undergrounds of the city, churches and monuments.
E45 Naples Fringe Festival
In 2009 the Festival promoted the creation of the E54 Naples Fringe Festival, the “off” festival that promotes emerging authors and artists. The Naples Fringe Festival was named after road E45European route E45
The European route E 45 goes between Sweden and Italy, through Denmark, Germany and Austria. With a length of about , it is the longest north-south European route...
, the one that connects Karesuvanto
Karesuvanto
Karesuvanto, also Kaaresuvanto, is a village in the Enontekiö municipality of the Lapland region in northern Finland, located on the Muonio River which forms the border with Sweden....
(Finland), to Gela
Gela
Gela is a town and comune in the province of Caltanissetta in the south of Sicily, Italy. The city is at about 84 kilometers distance from the city of Caltanissetta, on the Mediterranean Sea. The city has a larger population than the provincial capital, and ranks second in land area.Gela is an...
(Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
), passing through Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. The first edition of the E45 has brought on stage 27 shows, chosen from a very wide selection, in several theatres of the city. Two of the plays were chosen for the 2010 official edition of the Festival. The 2010 edition of the E45 Naples Fringe Festival will present 39 plays selected among more than 250 of the presented projects.
European Theatre Company
The European Theatre Company was created in 2008, promoted by the Napoli Teatro Festival Italia, as a work project on languages, multicultural issues and blending of different theatrical traditions. It is not a stabile company, bur an ensemble of actors from different European countries, who all act in their own language. Every year the project is committed to a different director and it is aimed to the production of a play which is promoted by the Napoli Teatro Festival Italia. In 2008 the Company , entrusted to Virginio Liberti and Annaliso Bianco, brought on stage a representation of The Trojan WomenThe Trojan Women
The Trojan Women is a tragedy by the Greek playwright Euripides. Produced during the Peloponnesian War, it is often considered a commentary on the capture of the Aegean island of Melos and the subsequent slaughter and subjugation of its populace by the Athenians earlier in 415 BC , the same year...
. In 2009 it was entrusted to David Lescot, who wrote and directed the play L’Européenne, which was produced in collaboration with the Théâtre de la Ville
Théâtre de la Ville
The Théâtre de la Ville is one of the two theatres built in the 19th century by Baron Haussmann at Place du Châtelet, Paris; the other being the Théâtre du Châtelet...
theatre in Paris. For the 2010 edition, the English director Alexander Zeldin
Alexander Zeldin
Alexander Zeldin is a British theatre and opera director. His most high profile productions to date have been a re-staging of Tsypin and Gergiev's production of Wagner's Ring Cycle at the Royal Opera House, London, in July 2009, as well as the Russian premiere of Powder Her Face by Thomas...
will bring on stage Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
, produced in collaboration with the Théâtre de la Ville theatre in Paris, the National Theatre Studio
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
in London and the Teatro Stabile in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, involving Italian and English artists along with second generation citizens, belonging to communities that have been in Italy for many years.
Environmental commitment
The Napoli Teatro Festival Italia has reached the highest standards in eco-compatibility: from the first edition the Festival has obtained the certification requested based on ISO 14001 (environmental management systems) and EMASEco-Management and Audit Scheme
The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme is a voluntary environmental management instrument, which was developed in 1993 by the European Commission. It enables organisations to assess, manage and continuously improve their environmental performance. The scheme is globally applicable and open to all...
(communitary system of eco-management). The Festival’s sustainable ecological management has been guaranteed by monitoring the environmental impact of its activities, from the functioning of its offices to the production of the set designs, from the construction sites to the transportation, the use of electric power and other polluting factors. Moreover, part of the Festival’s electrical needs are covered by the use of solar power, produced in a photovoltaic plant currently under construction.