THE VIOLIN, THE SOLDIER AND THE DEVIL

The story of a soldier — music by Igor Stravinskij, chosen by the Teatro alla Scala for its winter season. Theatre draw inspiration from an ancient tale to tell a story which is, unfortunately, always of topical interest: the greed and foolishness of men, the brutality of war, the internal struggle between fantasy and power. Theatre used the manner of the fable, metaphors of images and objects in a dramatization which is not only narrative, but really evocative. The work of in-depth study and analysis carried out with Luigi Pestalozza, music critic and director of Musica/Realta (the four-monthly review of the Italian Foundation of Early Music) has convinced us to think over new occasions of musical theatre, which can combine Stravinskij legacy with the universally-known theme of the soldier; in this new version we investigate the possibility of mixing music with ?figure theatre? and the languages of black-light theatre with dance.

• The Teatro del Buratto theatre company was born in 1975. Since its origins the company worked for Children?s Theatre focusing its research on the visual aspects of a performance: little spoken text and many different animation techniques. In almost thirty years Teatro del Buratto produced many shows performed in various International Festivals: France, Germany, England, Spain, Israel, Argentina, Uruguay, Egypt, Greece and Chile.
  Among its most important productions: ?L?Histoire du Soldat? (The story of a soldier) music by Igor Stravinskij, chosen by the Teatro alla Scala for its winter season; ?Il viaggio di Astolfo? (Astolfo?s Journey) adapted from the ?Orlando Furioso?, awarded as best performance of 1983 with the E.T.I. Stregagatto Award; ?Hello George? by V. Cerami, with music by George Gershwin; ?Cappuccetto Bianco? (Little White Riding Hood) from Bruno Munari; ?Sotto la Tavola? (Under the table) music by Tommaso Leddi, awarded with the Biglietto d?Oro AGIS, and with the E.T.I. Stregagatto Award 1991; ?Babar, il piccolo elefante?, (Babar the little elephant) music by F. Poulenc, scenery and puppets by F. Tullio Altan, a co-production with the Teatro alla Scala; ?Paneblu? (Blue Bread) music by Carlo Cialdo Ciapelli. Fly Butterfly (winner of the 1995 Biglietto d?Oro Agis Award and the 1999 Premio Florencio (Uruguay?s theatre critic association). Our last work in the year 2005, to celebrate our 30h anniversary, is a new production of ?l?Histoire du Soldat? the new title is ?Il violino, il soldato e il diavolo (The violin, the soldier and the devil).
  The Teatro del Buratto is nationally acknowledged by the Ministero dei Beni e delle Attivit? Culturali, as a Permanent Production and Programming Theatre; it is recognised by the Regione Lombardia, with whom it collaborates in the realisation of Segnali -International youth and Children?s Festival; it collaborates with the Provincia di Milano, and has obtained a 3-year contract, in an institutional relationship of mutual cooperation with the Comune di Milano ( Municipality of Milan).
  Along its productive activity and various training and laboratory activities the Teatro del Buratto runs an intense programming activity which, in the case of Children?s theatre, is developing in various theatre halls in Milano and Lombardy territory, whereas performances for adults and youths are programmed at the Verdi Theatre, the Company?s historical hall.
  The Teatro del Buratto cooperates throughout Italy with other institutional bodies, planning integrated projects of production and hospitality; it cooperates with the Italian Broadcasting Company (RAI) as well as with other Broadcasting Companies.

Elaboration and project by ? Stefano Monti, Rocco D?Onghia, Jolanda Cappi, Giusi Colucci, Daniela Dazzi, Franco Spadavecchia

Dramatization Rocco D?Onghia

Music — Alessandro Melchiorre

Music — Luigi Pestalozza

Directed — Stefano Monti

Co-direction — Jolanda Cappi

Scene design — Marco Muzzolon

Costume design — Elena Cicorella

Animation -Giusi Colucci

Stage movement — Jolanda Cappi

The soldier?s dance — Guendalina Fazzini

Lighting design — Marco Zennaro

Production manager — Franco Spadavecchia

On stage: — The soldier: Simone Bacchetta, Performers and mime artists: Daniela Dazzi, Cristina Discacciati, Luisa Casatta, Elena Veggetti, (Nadia Milani)

Duration ? 60 min.

Recommended audience age: 12 and older