Lisistrata. A test of the tests at the Greek theater in Syracuse (photo Maria Pia Ballarino)
If women of all war fronts unite under the flag of peace, denying their husbands or their companions, would not cease armed clashes and battles? Lisistrata speaks of love, a secular, powerful, happy and playful love». The director Serena Sinigaglia calls it “the perfect comedy”. Lisistrata of Aristophanes, Third production of the 60th season of classic representations at the Greek theater in Syracuse, will debut on Friday 13 June And he will alternate with “Oedipus A Colono” by Sophocles, directed by Robert Carsen, until June 27.
“We laugh a lot, of a deep laugh that frees us and predisposes us to the most beautiful love,” explains the director. Aristophanes’ comedy returns to the Greek theater for the third time, after the editions of 2010 and 2019. The translation is by Nicola Cadoni, the scenes of Maria Spazzi, the costumes of Gianluca Sbicca, the music of Filippo del Corno, the choreography of Alessio Maria Romano, the luci design by Alessandro Verazzi and the direction of the Choir of Francesca della Monica and Ernani. «Lisistrata is a perfect mechanism – concludes Sinigaglia -: from the Lisistrata structure, the next comedy has learned the mechanisms of comedy. You cannot help but laugh ».
The protagonist will be Lella Costa, who returns for the second time to the ancient cavea: «I am really trying to be up to par, because the task is difficult. The comedy is beautiful, the place removes the breath and makes the wrists tremble. This extraordinary coincidence of themes that are still today, alas, of great topicality without minimally upsetting the text. The text shines by itself, of this light of revolution, with its female gaze on the world. It has a rhythm, has an energy. It has a light. We hope to turn on this fire even in those who come to see it ».
Lella Costa prefers not to give labels: «Attribute a label as a “feminist” to a written text centuries before Christ does not make sense. It is a modern concept. But it is certainly a female work: the choice of having a female character who takes the reins and changes things. It does not seem right to me to apply a label that does not belong to the time, time and writing. The idea that there is a prevalence of the female seems to me an extraordinary message even today ».
The Milanese actress has no doubts on the issue of peace and war: «The theme of peace is unfortunately also that of war. It is not possible to believe that, after 2500 years, we are still here. As Aristophanes says with the “exalted that run for the agora in uniform”: this concept of the performance of an belonging to what is the physical elimination of those who do not think like you, the opponent who can only be annihilated “. He says he is excited: “I still have to recover from the only time that I have been here and the emotion was such as to cause me a kind of temporary amnesia. A overwhelming of emotion. When you are there, you hear all this story ».
The cast is also Marta Pizzigallo (Calonice), Cristina Parku (Mirrine), Simone Pietro Causa (Lampitò), Marco Brinzi (Dancete), Stefano Orlandi (Strimidoro), Francesco Migliaccio (Filurgo), Pilar Perez Aspa (Stratillide), Giorgia Senesi (Nicodice), Irene Serini (Rodippe), Aldo Ottebrino (Commissioner), Salvatore), Salvatore) Alfano (Chinesia), Didi Garbaccio Bogin (Woman Beota), Beatrice Verzotti (Donna Corinzia), Alessandro Lussiana (Spartan ambassador), Stefano deficiency (Athenian ambassador) and Giulia Quacqueri (peace). And then students and students of the Academy of Art of the ancient drama. Lisistrata will be on tour at the Grande Theater in Pompeii (18-20 July) and at the Roman theater in Verona (11 and 12 September).