Forget hopping on a plane to enjoy a bit of foreign culture as a taste of Italy will be
brought to your doorstep this summer. The events of ‘Italian Month 2007’ offer you the opportunity to familiarise yourself with various aspects of Italian culture and discover how many similarities the country shares with Cyprus.
It’s worth keeping in mind however that the focus of the whole event is on the past as opposed to the present, glancing at shared myths and common historical roots between the two countries. The whole event goes on until mid-July, with a theatre performance, concerts, and an exhibition all organised by the Italian Embassy.
Tomorrow marks the start of Italian month with a theatre performance by Compagnia Pantakin from Venice staging Don Giovanni in a typical Commedia Dell’Arte project. Taking place at the Cultural Centre of the University of Cyprus in old Nicosia, the actors will then travel to Larnaca where they will be performing at the Mediaeval Fort on June 9.
Everyone knows the story of Don Giovanni – the infamous womaniser who moves from one conquest to another as he gets himself into all sorts of trouble. The version of Don Giovanni presented by Compagnia Pantakin was played for the first time in Paris in 1668 with great success and has remained a favourite with audiences throughout Europe ever since.
The theatre show in both Nicosia and Larnaca will be accompanied by an interesting exhibition of masks by Stefano Perocco di Meduna. Stefano has worked with masks for thirty years, making them for numerous actors and theatre companies. A complementary conference will also be taking place in English to fill you in on all sorts of information about Commedia Dell’Arte by theatre director and historian, Roberto Cuppone.
This old Italian theatre genre has lasted through the ages as audiences continue to be fascinated by the slap stick humour and improvisation. The conference will take place at the Cultural Centre of the University of Cyprus in Nicosia on June 6, and at Larnaca Mediaeval Fort on June 10.
For some renaissance and baroque music you can go along to a concert by the Musica Ricercata Ensemble set to play in Nicosia on June 15 and Larnaca on June 16. Based in Florence and often travelling around the world to put on shows, the chamber music ensemble will be playing pieces from the 15th-17th century. Some of it is dedicated to the myth of Aphrodite, while other pieces played were composed for Shakespeare’s theatre.
As ‘Italian month’ continues you can also look forward to an exhibition of modern and contemporary Italian art under the theme of ‘Mythos’, as well as music concert by the popular Italian singer, Lucio Dalla.
Don Giovanni
A theatre performance by Compagnia Pantakin de Venezia.
Nicosia: June 6. University of Cyprus Cultural Centre. 8.30pm
Larnaca: June 9. Medieval Fort. 9pm.
Free. Tel: 22-357718
Conference on Comedia Dell Arte
By theatre director and historian, Roberto Cuppone.
Nicosia: June 7. University of Cyprus Cultural Centre. 8.30pm
Larnaca: June 10. Medieval Fort. 9pm.
Free. Tel: 22-357718
Also coming up as part of Italian month:
Musica Ricercata Ensemble
Nicosia: June 15. Castelliotissa Hall. 8.30pm
Larnaca: June 16. Larnaca Medieval Fort. 9pm.
Free. Tel: 22-357718
Mythos
Exhibition of modern and contemporary Italian art with over 70 pieces on show. Opens June 22, 7.30pm, until July 22. Evagoras Lanitis Centre, Carob Mill, Limassol. 10am-1pm and 5pm-10pm daily. Saturday and Sunday 5pm-10pm. Tel: 25-342123
Lucio Dalla
A contemporary music concert. July 27. Municipal Garden Theatre, Limassol. 9pm. Tel: 25-878744
