“Culture, which is spiritual nourishment and a quest for the highest aesthetic and moral values that elevate humanity, must never stop. Not even in tragic moments such as those the Ukrainian people are going through in their struggle for freedom and the right to exist. With this performance, we tell our Ukrainian friends that Italy is present in Kiev and supports them”’.
The Italian Ambassador to Ukraine, Pierfrancesco Zazo, said as much, while presenting the musical comedy “The Ball”’, by director and artistic director Matteo Spiazzi, in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute, at the National Operetta Theatre in Kiev. Choreographer Katia Tubini collaborated on the Italian-Ukrainian production.
The premiere of the show was supposed to be held on 25 February, but was cancelled due to the outbreak of war. It is therefore significant – the Ambassador stressed – that this event can finally take place in Kiev, thanks to the recent reopening of the Institute of Culture.
“The Ball” is a musical and choreographic production inspired by the famous film “Ballando, ballando” by Ettore Scola. The stage is turned into a ballroom enlivened by wonderful music, both classical and modern (and popular) Italian music. The soundtrack accompanies the audience on a “nostalgic” journey back in time. The performers, alternating moments of theatre and dance, recount the most significant changes in Italian culture and habits from the first decades of the 20th century to the 1980s.
