Live! From the Autobiographical to the Philosophical: Alberto Savinio’s “Vita dell’uomo”
With Luciano Chessa and Luca Valentino
A U.S. Premiere
The second event presents Alberto Savinio’s Vita dell’ Uomo, that premiered in 1951 at Milan’s La Scala Theatre, in a production designed by the author himself. Although intended as a key to unlocking the artist’s personal history, the ballet ironically illustrates the life cycle of an “everyman”—from birth to education, love to disillusion, and, lastly, dream to death.
Throughout his journey, the protagonist encounters characters from the artist’s earlier paintings and plays, including animal-headed businessmen and the parents, in the form of “Armchair-Mama” and “Armchair-Poppa,” as seen in CIMA’s current exhibition. This evening will feature the U.S. premiere of the ballet’s main scenes, performed on piano by Luciano Chessa. A slide show with a selection of Savinio’s costume designs and stage sets will provide visual context, while insightful commentary on the overall production will be provided by expert of Savinio’s theatrical work Luca Valentino.
Luciano Chessa is a composer, conductor, performance artist, pianist, and music historian specializing in 20th-century Italian and 21st-century.
Luca Valentino is Professor of Performing Arts at the Conservatory of Music of Alessandria, Italy, where he is also Artistic Director of Scatola Sonora, an international festival of small-scale opera and musical theatre named after a collection of Alberto Savinio’s writings.
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