"Rugantino" at the Anfiteatro Comunale of Polistena

Anfiteatro Comunale di Polistena · Polistena, Costa Viola, Calabria

3 August 2026

On Monday 3 August 2026 at 9:30 pm, the Anfiteatro Comunale of Polistena hosts "Rugantino", the celebrated musical comedy by Garinei and Giovannini with music by Armando Trovajoli, in a staging by Teatro Stabile directed by Maurizio Bufacchi. On stage, Davide Russo and Manuela Gentili lead a popular-theatre cast, enriched by the dancer Abyss in traditional gypsy dress. Set in the papal Rome of the nineteenth century, this beloved classic returns with its unforgettable songs. The event is part of the "Angelo Miliardi" Theatre Season, within the Polistena Cultural Summer 2026, under the patronage of the Municipality of Polistena.

The show: "Rugantino" under the sky of Polistena

On Monday 3 August 2026 at 9:30 pm, the Anfiteatro Comunale of Polistena hosts "Rugantino", the musical comedy that made Italian theatre history, in a staging by Teatro Stabile directed by Maurizio Bufacchi. Under the summer sky of the Piana di Gioia Tauro, nineteenth-century papal Rome comes back to life through songs, irony and popular passion, in an evening designed for audiences of every age. The event is part of the "Angelo Miliardi" Theatre Season of the Polistena Cultural Summer 2026, under the patronage of the Municipality of Polistena.

The plot: love, honour and papal Rome

"Rugantino" is the most famous Italian musical comedy: created by Pietro Garinei and Sandro Giovannini, with music by Armando Trovajoli, it premiered at the Teatro Sistina in Rome on 15 December 1962. The story is set in the papal Rome of the nineteenth century, among the working-class alleys of Trastevere. Rugantino is a young, boastful and idle commoner who lives by his wits, helped by Eusebia — spelled "Lusebia" in the Polistena poster — whom he passes off as his sister. On a bet with his friends he tries to win over the beautiful Rosetta, wife of the jealous Gnecco Er Matriciano, and ends up truly falling in love with her. In the background looms Mastro Titta, the executioner of the Papal State: in the moving, bitter finale Rugantino takes the blame for a murder he did not commit rather than lose Rosetta, and climbs the scaffold, proving at last that he is "a real man". Trovajoli's score has made timeless songs such as "Roma nun fa la stupida stasera", "Ciumachella de Trastevere" and "Tirolallero".

Direction and cast: Maurizio Bufacchi and the Teatro Stabile company

The staging on show in Polistena is a Teatro Stabile production directed by Maurizio Bufacchi, who also plays Mastro Titta. Davide Russo takes the title role of Rugantino, while Manuela Gentili plays Rosetta. The company is completed by Melissa Panerai (Lusebia), Fabio Giustini (Don Niccolò), Paolo Pomponi (Rubastracci), Cristian Ragusi (Scariotto), Fabio Cenci (Gnecco), Rita Bigola (Donna Marta) and Anna Traditi (Donna Letizia). This is a popular-theatre reading that brings the characters and atmospheres of the Garinei and Giovannini classic back to life with the energy of a local company.

Abyss: the gypsy dancer amid Celtic notes

A distinctive touch to this staging comes from the dancer Abyss, who appears in traditional gypsy dress and lets mystical Celtic notes resound. Her presence is described as "a crossroads of different stories and cultures gathering under the same sky": a weave of suggestions that adds a broader vibration to the Roman tale — at once Mediterranean and Nordic — and gives the show a moment of pure evocation.

The setting: Polistena Cultural Summer 2026 and the "Angelo Miliardi" season

The evening is part of the "Angelo Miliardi" Theatre Season, one of the strands of the Polistena Cultural Summer 2026: a programme lasting more than two months — roughly from July to September — that brings to Polistena shows, concerts, popular theatre, cinema and events dedicated to legality and traditions, under the patronage of the Municipality of Polistena. Before or after the show, this town in the Piana di Gioia Tauro is a good excuse to explore the area: you can take a look at things to do in Polistena.

Practical information: venue, time and how to attend

The appointment is for Monday 3 August 2026 at 9:30 pm at the Anfiteatro Comunale of Polistena, in the province of Reggio Calabria. As this is an open-air evening performance, it is worth bearing in mind the late hour and the outdoor setting of the amphitheatre. The poster does not state the ticket price or admission details: for information on costs, bookings and access, we recommend contacting the organisers at Teatro Stabile or the Municipality of Polistena. Those travelling from further afield can consider places to stay in Polistena to enjoy the evening with peace of mind.

Frequently asked questions

When and where does the "Rugantino" show in Polistena take place?

The show is scheduled for Monday 3 August 2026 at 9:30 pm at the Anfiteatro Comunale of Polistena, in the province of Reggio Calabria.

What is "Rugantino" about?

It is the celebrated musical comedy by Garinei and Giovannini, with music by Armando Trovajoli, set in the papal Rome of the nineteenth century. It tells of Rugantino, a boastful young commoner who, on a bet, tries to win over the beautiful Rosetta and ends up truly falling in love with her, leading to a bitter finale marked by the executioner Mastro Titta.

Who directs the show and who is in the cast?

It is directed by Maurizio Bufacchi, who also plays Mastro Titta. The cast includes Davide Russo (Rugantino), Manuela Gentili (Rosetta), Melissa Panerai (Lusebia), Fabio Giustini, Paolo Pomponi, Cristian Ragusi, Fabio Cenci, Rita Bigola and Anna Traditi, in a Teatro Stabile production.

Who is Abyss?

Abyss is the dancer who characterises this staging: she performs in traditional gypsy dress, letting mystical Celtic notes resound, and is described as "a crossroads of different stories and cultures gathering under the same sky".

How much is the ticket?

The poster does not state the ticket price or admission details. For information on costs, bookings and access, we recommend contacting the organisers at Teatro Stabile or the Municipality of Polistena directly.

Which season is the event part of?

The show is part of the "Angelo Miliardi" Theatre Season, one of the strands of the Polistena Cultural Summer 2026, the city's summer programme under the patronage of the Municipality of Polistena.

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