Deledda - Cenere and the songs of the silent revolution

Teatro Francesco Cilea · Reggio di Calabria, Costa Viola, Calabria

13 January 2027

On 13 January 2027 at 21:00 the Teatro Francesco Cilea in Reggio Calabria hosts «Deledda – Cenere e le canzoni della rivoluzione silenziosa», a multidisciplinary piece conceived and directed by Mvula Sungani. On stage are étoile Emanuela Bianchini, principal dancer Damiano Grifoni and the soloists of Mvula Sungani Physical Dance, with live music by Serena Pisa and a live band. The work weaves dance, music and words to tell the story of Grazia Deledda, the first Italian woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Wednesday 13 January 2027, at 21:00

On 13 January 2027, at 21:00, the Teatro Francesco Cilea in Reggio Calabria hosts «Deledda – Cenere e le canzoni della rivoluzione silenziosa», a multidisciplinary piece conceived and directed by Mvula Sungani. It is part of Le Maschere e i Volti, the Cilea's season.

Who is on stage

On stage are étoile Emanuela Bianchini, principal dancer Damiano Grifoni and the soloists of Mvula Sungani Physical Dance, with live music by Serena Pisa and a live band. The work weaves dance, music and words: it is neither a recital nor pure ballet, but a form that holds all three languages together.

Grazia Deledda, the first Italian woman to win the Nobel

The piece is devoted to Grazia Deledda, the first Italian woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature and a central figure in twentieth-century culture: a woman who asserted her talent with quiet force, opening new paths in art, in society and in the course of female emancipation.

«Cenere» and the figure of Olì

At the heart of the creation is «Cenere», Deledda's novel, which became a film in 1916 featuring Eleonora Duse's only screen appearance. Through the figure of Olì, a mother marked by sacrifice, the work stages grief, responsibility, care and the complexity of family bonds. Physical dance, text and contemporary arrangements enter into dialogue with Deledda's imagination: the dancers' bodies become narrative, and the live music amplifies its emotional dimension.

Frequently asked questions

When is Deledda – Cenere staged in Reggio Calabria?

On 13 January 2027, at 21:00, at the Teatro Francesco Cilea.

Who conceived and directed the piece?

Mvula Sungani, who is credited with both concept and direction.

Who dances?

Étoile Emanuela Bianchini, principal dancer Damiano Grifoni and the soloists of Mvula Sungani Physical Dance.

Which Deledda work is it based on?

On «Cenere», the novel that became a film in 1916 featuring Eleonora Duse's only screen appearance.

Is the music live?

Yes, with music by Serena Pisa performed by a live band.

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