Emilia-Romagna exports culture
More than 440 events spread the cultural activities of Emilia-Romagna and its cultural heritage worldwide.
Performing arts, music, dance, cinema, exhibitions, lectures, meetings, promotional events were presented in 245 cities of 56 countries all around the world.
France, Germany, Spain, China, United States and Belgium, Serbia, and Argentine -in that order- are the countries which hosted the largest number of events.
One more time, theatre occupies the highest ranking on cultural export: more than 200 performances by 24 companies and production centers from Emilia-Romagna were staged in important theatres and international festivals, and several workshops, artistic residences, masterclasses, meetings occurred as well.
As regards children theatre, amongst the most active companies we find: La Baracca-Teatro Testoni Ragazzi, which staged 14 shows in 41 cities in Europe (12 Countries), Asia (China and South Korea), Africa (Cameroon), and Central America (Cuba); Teatro Gioco Vita, which visited 30 cities with 6 shows, mainly in Europe, but also in Jordan; Teatro delle Briciole, which was in 27 cities with 3 shows, mainly in Europe.
As regards drama, a special mention is for Motus company, at this point become more international than Italian: after the world premiere in New York of its new project PANORAMA and the European premier in Ghent, the company has kept on staging the very appreciated show MDLSX in further 16 cities in 7 European Countries, in Canada and Hong Kong (and new performances are already programmed in Australia and Europe in 2019).
Still much drama with ERT and Pippo Delbono; 16 performances mainly in Europe, but not forgetting the staging in Japan of Marat-Sade by Arte e Salute Association, produced by ERT.
Moreover, Pippo Delbono was invited to attend the Theatre Olympics 2018 in India, together with another theatre company from Emilia-Romagna well known abroad, Instabili Vaganti.
Besides the international successes of Romeo Castellucci’s Societas (15 cities from Asia to Europe), an acknowledgement must be deserved to Marco Martinelli and Ermanna Montanari’s Ravenna Teatro, whose work on Dante Alighieri whipped up New Yorker critics’ enthusiasm last December, a recognition got also at national level with the Ubu Award 2018 for ‘Best Actress’ to Ermanna Montanari.
As regards music and dance, although lower than in previous years, more than 30 concerts by 12 orchestras, ensamble, soloists have been performed in 27 cities in 14 Countries, mainly in Europe but also in Asia and Africa -and amongst them, Accademia Bizantina stands out for its activity, having performed its Baroque repertoire in 16 concerts from Europe to China-, while 15 companies from Emilia-Romagna have danced on 18 stages in 17 cities in 13 Countries, mainly in Europa, even if Monica Casadei and her Artemis pushed on to Thailand, Guatemala, and Hong Kong.
Turning to cinema: more than 60 screenings of films by past and present directors from Emilia-Romagna, and retrospectives dedicated to them, besides lectures and seminars, in 39 cities in 18 Countries.
Amongst the “classics”, Bertolucci, Fellini, Antonioni and Pupi Avati are the most ‘popular’ directors; amongst the “contemporaries”, Luciano Ligabue with his last film Made in Italy and several authors whose documentaries received the support by the Emilia-Romagna audio-visual fund, as Elisabetta Lodoli with Is it about love? and Anna de Manincor/ZimmerFrei with ALMOST NOTHING - CERN Experimental City.
The exhibitions of painting, cinema, design, illustration, promotion of Emilia-Romagna traditions and history were more than 40, set in 35 cities, in 19 Countries.
Amongst the most important, Now and then: Guercino/Kudzanai Chiurai at the Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town, which courageously compared two different artists and two different worlds and cultural approaches -exhibit organized by the Consulate of Italy in Cape Town, the office for Cultural activities abbroad of Emilia-Romagna Region, the Civic Art Gallery of Cento-, and Antonio Ligabue. Mirror of the Soul, a retrospective dedicated to the painter for the first time ever in Russia, by Fondazione Archivio Antonio Ligabue Parma.
It is worth also mentioning, midway between exhibition and cinema, 10 different theme exhibits of beautiful film stills from the Centro Cinema di Cesena’s archives presented in Europe, Canada, China, and, midway between exhibition and children books, 6 different exhibits dedicated to illustration curated by Bologna Children’s Book Fair, presented in Europe, Asia, South America.
The assessment of the year 2018 for the culture of Emilia-Romagna abroad ends reminding some “special” promotional events organized: the presentation of Festival Verdi and the film series of its most representative opera productions; the concert The Roads of Friendship conducted by Maestro Riccardo Muti in Kyiv, as usual given again in Italy within the Ravenna Festival; the presentation of Emilia-Romagna DANCELAND, the region “heart of dance in Italy” at the Internationale Tanzmesse 2018 in Dusseldorf, the yet mentioned exhibition Now and then: Guercino/Kudzanai Chiurai and the ones on contemporary design Design is nourishing, Design is sustainable, and Design is Ability in Prague, Wien, Budapest on the occasion of the Italian Design Day 2018.
The activities have been realized thanks to the precious co-operation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation’s network of diplomatic and cultural Representations.