Collaboration with the Cherubini Conservatory: "Mozart. Le Nozze di Figaro, Villa Favard"
The performance, entitled “Le nozze di Figaro. A travelling piano performance through the spaces of Villa Favard”, is a staging of Mozart’s opera that involved the collaboration of young artists from the Accademia di Belle Arti and student musicians from the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory. It was presented to the public in the prestigious Villa Favard in Florence on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 July 2022.
The production was directed by Francesco Torrigiani, who also collaborated with the European Opera Academy and, for the tailoring services, with Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio
When we chose Le nozze di Figaro to return to performing in public with our students after the many pre-pandemic experiences, we had several possible paths ahead of us: Mozart’s masterpiece not only lends itself to countless interpretations and adaptations but is probably the most exemplary text from a didactic point of view for a performer in training.
Several years ago, we had already created a travelling version throughout the spaces of the Villa, taking advantage of the fortunate coincidence that Da Ponte’s story itself is set in a villa; this time, however, we were able to count on the valuable collaboration of the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence, with which we are initiating, on this occasion, an interdisciplinary project collaboration for musical theatre that will allow us to jointly plan our main initiatives for the near future.
The world of art became the focus of our shared reflections, eventually becoming the “core” of our setting: the spaces of the stage action thus become exhibition spaces for contemporary artworks, inspiring the show’s scenographers and portraying a Villa Favard transformed into a private museum, a gallery belonging to a wealthy art patron.
Francesco Torrigiani
The students of the Academy, guided by lecturers Maria Rosaria Manigrasso, Davide Tito and Francesco Givone, created settings and stage objects, drawing on more than a decade of experience from the Scenoplastica workshop, which has collaborated, among others, with several Tuscan theatres.
Lecturer Maria Rosaria Manigrasso explains:
The project “LA SCENOPLASTICA” was created with the aim of fostering interdisciplinarity between schools and departments within academic education, which for several years has encouraged students to experience “THEATRE” through the creation of stage objects, backdrops and other elements. This year the project expanded with our neighbours, leading to the establishment of a collaboration with the Cherubini Conservatory.
The tailoring service was carried out by the students of the “Historical and Stage Costume Tailoring” two-year programme 2021–2023 at Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio – Florence:
Sophen AGRADI, Alice AIROLDI, Elena CADONI, Camilla CHELONI, Giulia CIAMBELLOTTI, Sara FOCARDI, Margarita QUINTERO, Francesca RAVASIO.
Costume designer: Viola PERUZZI
Costumes: SlowCostume – Rome
Le Nozze di Figaro returns for a performance at the Niccolini Theatre.
Le Nozze di Figaro returns for a performance at the Niccolini Theatre.
Niccolini Theatre, 18 and 19 March 2023
Directed by Francesco Torrigiani, Le Nozze di Figaro also benefits from the collaboration of the European Opera Academy and, for the tailoring service, of Fondazione Arte della Seta Lisio.