Even though Shakespeare probably never left his native England, thirteen of his plays, roughly a third, are set in the Italian peninsula. The Rome of “Julius Caesar” and the Verona of “Romero and Juliet” have become part of the popular imagination and helped shape views of Italy since Shakespeare first wrote the plays. This summer, Italy is returning the favor by celebrating the Bard with an exhibition and a series of performances in Rome, Verona and Milan.
The exhibition, Shakespeare in Rome, explores the bard’s five plays set in the Italian capital. Photos, videos and audio excerpts from famous theatre and film versions of “Julius Caesar,” “Titus Andronicus,” “Cymbeline,” “Coriolanus” and “Antony and Cleopatra” show how different directors have envisioned the Eternal City. The exhibition runs through September 28 at Rome’s Casa dei Teatri in Villa Pamphilj park.
Also in Rome, audiences can watch Italian-language productions of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “King Lear,” “A Comedy of Errors” and “The Merchant of Venice” through August in a scale reproduction of the original Globe Theatre. The Globe Theatre Rome was built in 2003 in the Villa Borghese park and seats 1250 people, including groundlings.
Verona is celebrating its 60th annual Shakespeare Festival through August 15 with music and performances including three versions of Romeo and Juliet. Milan joins the celebration in October with a production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” directed by Luca Ronconi, who is widely considered one Europe’s most important theatre directors.
Web Resources:
ANSA.it - Italy Goes Bard Crazy
Shakespeare in Rome Exhibition
Rome File - Shakespeare Globe Theatre in Rome
Estate Teatrale Veronese 2008 – Festival Shakespeareano information
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[...] Italy Celebrates the Summer of ShakespeareThe Rome of “Julius Caesar” and the Verona of “Romero and Juliet” have become part of the popular imagination and helped shape views of Italy since Shakespeare first wrote the plays. This summer Italy is returning the favor by … [...]