Sicily: culture and conquest, the exhibition that opened in April at British Museum has already been a success. But there is more to come related to Sicily. On July 22 you can go to the Museum for a free, multisensory evening celebrating the soul of Sicily, past and present. Music, drama, workshops, food and drink, Opera dei Pupi and poetry performances.
Highlight of the night will be Luca Zingaretti (Inspector Montalbano) performing La Sirena, based on the book Lighea by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.
Music
Le Tre Sorelle (The Three Sisters), all-female Southern Italian female trio, will perform ancient chants and devotional songs, waltzes, lullabies and tarantellas, all accompanied by traditional instruments and narration.
Workshop
Have you ever heard about the infiorata? This is the occasion to learn more about that and to take part in creating an example of the traditional Sicilian-inspired flower carpet mosaic with artist Anna Saunders.
Poetry
Renowned poet Gabriele Tinti will read poems inspired by the diverse culture and mythology of Sicily, accompained by actor Anatol Yusef.
Sicilian Opera dei Pupi
Sicily has a special tradition in Opera dei Pupi, a puppet theatre representation of Frankish romantic poems such as The song of Roland (L’Orlando Furioso). The Sicilian marionette theater Opera dei pupi wasinscribed in 2008 in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists. Expert puppeteer Cesare Maschi of Busking Theatre Company, and student of the acclaimed master of Sicilian puppetry, Mimmo Cuticchio will perform the show.
Myths
NMT Automatics, an international theatre company, will introduce the audience to Aeneas’ wanderings through Sicily with their performance.
Xanthe Gresham-Knight of the Crick Crack Club will performe a special storytelling of the myth of Femeter and Persephone.
Food and drink
Sicily also means great food and so a Sicilian-themed menu of food and drink will be available to buy in the Great Court.
The exhibition
Sicily: culture and conquest will be open until 14 August 2016.
Luca Zingaretti’s performace is free, but booking is essential. For more information please visit British Museum’s website.
