Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri visited the Teatru Astra crew this morning at the Teatro Greco of Taormina, Sicily where the opera set for the opera Cavalleria Rusticana was being installed ahead of this evening’s performance.

The Teatru Astra, in Victoria, Gozo, is currently involved in the production of the scenography for Pietro Mascagani’s Cavelleria Rusticana which will be produced by Coro Lirico Siciliano.

The scenography had been exported to Sicily where it is being used on four separate operatic productions, which have been in Catania, followed by Tindari.

The penultimate production is scheduled for this evening at the Greco-Roman theatre in Taormina. The final leg of the operatic tour will take place at the Greek Theatre of Syracuse on the 27th of August.

Artist Joseph Cauchi, the residing scenographer at Teatru Astra, and Andrew Portelli are leading the design and construction of the set.

Lyric opera production at Teatru Astra is synonymous with scenic sets of particularly high calibre. The theatre has, in the recent past, distinguished itself in all elements of opera production, including the scenography, which has been acclaimed by the general public and the media.

This is not the first time Teatru Astra has been invited to export its artistic expertise; in 2014, the scenography and wardrobe used in Nabucco, were exported to Rimini, Italy, where they were used in two productions of the opera in Stadio 105.

The Theatre said that this operatic tour in Sicily will provide an opportunity for Teatru Astra to provide the general public with a taste of its artistic potential, particularly in lyric opera production, locally synonymous with Gozo and the city of Victoria, in the birthplace of lyric opera.

This important project is supported by the Cultural Heritage Directorate within the Gozo Ministry.

Photo: Teatru Astra

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