About 500 people, including tourists and residents, attended the “Historical re-enactment of the foundation of Naxos”, the first Greek colony in Sicily, yesterday afternoon in the archaeological area of the Naxos Park. An interdisciplinary performance with additions of theatre, music and with the fundamental contribution of a team of archaeologists who, with the contribution of historical texts, animated a fascinating storytelling to reconstruct the birth of the Greek city in the 8th century BC and the ancient cult of Apollo Archeghètes, documented by the historian Thucydides.
The event took place on the first Sunday of the month which provides the usual free entry, as arranged by the Sicilian Region – Department of Cultural Heritage and Sicilian Identity. A Sunday which, overall, saw over 8660 visitors to the three sites of the Ancient Theatre, Museum and Archaeological Area of Naxos and Isola Bella (source of Aditus data, to which add the approximately 500 spectators of the afternoon historical re-enactment in Naxos).
The project, with the artistic direction of the director and actress Cinzia Maccagnano, is the result of a virtuous collaboration between the Naxos Taormina archaeological park, the Proloco and the Municipality of Giardini Naxos. Direction and dramaturgy were handled by Giovanni Bùcolo, sets and costumes by Francesca Cannavò, while the live music and songs were performed by the lyricist Rosa Fragorapti. With the actor Elio Crifò in the role of the historical Timèo, they were Gianni Crimi (Stavros), Sara Pulvirenti (Nausika), Francesco Papa (Tìsandros), Mario Russo (Tèocle), Clara Lo Turco (the Priestess) and little Ginevra Maniaci.
The historical re-enactment of the foundation of Naxos kicked off the long season of events that the Naxos Taormina Archaeological Park will host on the Naxos site during the summer of 2024.
From May to September, a rich multi-thematic program – including archaeological cinema, classical theatre, music, philosophy and literature – started a few years ago in collaboration with public bodies and cultural associations in the direction of the so-called “Third Mission”, i.e. the commitment to disseminating culture, knowledge and results of research and studies in the archaeological field contributing to the socio-cultural development of their communities of reference.