Italia, Un Sogno
directed and designed by
John Pascoe
 
 
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‘Masterfully staged by the English director–designer John Pascoe who has mounted an engaging show that revolutionises the language of opera’
La Provincia di Cosenza
Teatro Filarmonico, Verona, final curtain call: John Pascoe with Vittorio Grigòlo.
Photo: Giovanni Daniotti
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‘Italia, Un Sogno achieved its stated aim of giving birth to a new manner of presenting opera, rendering it attractive to both a less expert public as well as to the younger generation…’
Giornale di Brescia
Act 1 sc i. On an Italian beach, a famous young tenor (Vittorio Grigòlo) is asked for ‘selfies’ by his fans (girl with camera, Laura Locatelli). His girlfriend, Italia (Mihaela Marcu, in white) looks on. (Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera, Overture)
Photo: Giovanni Daniotti
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‘…For example, the Duke of Mantua from Rigoletto was transformed into a decadent emperor of Ancient Rome’
Giornale di Brescia
Act 1 sc ii: Ancient Rome. Emperor, Vittorio Grigòlo; girl in his arms, Anna Olkhovaya; woman in red, Marta Ossoli. (Verdi: Rigoletto, 'Questa o quella')
Photo: Giovanni Daniotti
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‘Between innovative stage direction, costumes and a cast of 50 artists, the evening passed swiftly. The public didn’t want to leave!’
Il Giorno
Act 1 sc v. A celebration of the Renaissance. Vittorio Grigòlo, Mihaela Marcu, Marta Ossoli and chorus. (Verdi: La Traviata, 'Libiamo, ne' lieti calici')
Photo: Giovanni Daniotti
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‘The eighteen imposing and elegant scenes of ‘Italia, Un Sogno’ demonstrated that it has all the cards in hand to impress the public, and not just that of Italy.’
L'Arena di Verona
Act 1 sc vi. Casanova in Venice, the eighteenth century. Guests arrive at a palace in Venice. (Rondo Veneziano)
Photo: Giovanni Daniotti
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‘The eighteenth century of Casanova with a touch of eroticism at the Venetian lagoon’
Giornale di Brescia
Act 1 sc vii. The guests – 'partying'.
photo: Eva Mulas
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‘Undreamed of! With the intention of communicating “A tribute to the tradition of opera through the story of Italy”, every opera extract was placed in a completely unexpected locality and time, almost echoing the mannerisms of other contemporary stage directors.’
Giornale di Brescia
Act 1 sc viii. The Italian people enslaved by the Austro-Hungarians. (Verdi: Nabucco, ‘Va Pensiero’)
Digital image by John Pascoe
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‘The arias and their staging were really surprising, totally unexpected and impressive’
Giornale di Brescia
Act 1 sc viii (contd). The dream of a united Italy, symbolised by the Victor Emmanuel monument. (Verdi: Nabucco, ‘Va Pensiero’)
Screen shot from video
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‘A pop event that tells the story of Italy via its most famous arias’
La Repubblica
Act 1 sc ix. Vittorio Grigòlo, as an officer of the Risorgimento leads the fight against the Austro-Hungarians. (Verdi: Il Trovatore, 'Di quella pira')
photo: Eva Mulas
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‘The production finished with an authentic standing ovation, with repeated calls from the public, equally for the stage director and scenery designer John Pascoe… and for the large number of actors, dancers and chorus who brought such life to the performance.’
L'Arena di Verona
Act 1 sc ix (contd). Vittorio Grigòlo, as an officer of the Risorgimento, leads the fight against the Austro-Hungarians. (Verdi: Il Trovatore, 'Di quella pira')
photo: Giovanni Daniotti
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‘Vittorio Grigòlo has perfect appeal, natural charisma and talent for performing… His young and brilliant tone of voice and the spontaneity and innate elegance of performance create the impression of hearing even the most famous arias as if for the first time.’
L'Arena di Verona
Act 1sc ix (contd). Vittorio Grigòlo, as an officer of the Risorgimento leads the fight against the Austro-Hungarians. (Verdi: Il Trovatore, 'Di quella pira')
photo: Giovanni Daniotti
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‘The risk of a “post card” iconography was balanced by the interesting architectural composition of the scenes and by the effective choices of the stage director John Pascoe’
Giornale di Brescia
Act 2 sc i: The Tuscan countryside before the outbreak of the Second World War. (Ciléa: L'Arlesiana, ‘Il lamento di Federico’)
screen shot from video
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‘Fourteen opera arias were interpreted by various singers and actors, all skilfully coordinated by the English stage director John Pascoe.’ 
Gazzetta del Sud
Act 2 sc ii: Images of victims of the Second World War float among the ruins. (Verdi: Rigoletto, Overture)
screen shot from video
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‘The tenor Vittorio Grigòlo brought real excitement to the stage of the Teatro Fraschini in Pavia, where he presented his ‘Italia, Un Sogno’, a tribute to the tradition of Italian opera.’ 
Il Giorno
Act 2 sc iii. A USAF officer (Vittorio Grigòlo) and a group of Italian Partisans fight off the Fascists during the Second World War. (Verdi: Rigoletto, 'La donna è mobile')
photo: Giovanni Daniotti
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‘The talent of the artists chosen, the scenery, and the video projections pull together the multifaceted puzzle of our history, offering a profound reflection of current events’  
La Provincia di Cosenza
Act 2 sc vi. The present day. Having lost everything, the Italian tenor (Vittorio Grigòlo) goes on stage at La Scala . (Leoncavallo: Pagliacci, ‘Recita! Vesti la giubba.’)
photo: Giovanni Daniotti
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‘A great success. An operatic concert filled with theatrical drama’    
Giornale di Brescia
Act 2 sc vi, contd. The Italian tenor (Vittorio Grigòlo) sees himself applying makeup for the aria and collapses in despair. (Leoncavallo: Pagliacci, ‘Recita! Vesti la giubba.’)
photo: Giovanni Daniotti
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‘Grigolo enflames emotions with his Italian “dream”.’     
L'Arena di Verona
Act 2 sc vii. The tenor’s entire world collapses around him. (Leoncavallo: Pagliacci, ‘Recita! Vesti la giubba.’)
photo: Giovanni Daniotti
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‘”Italia, Un Sogno” is without doubt an enjoyable, elegant and successful journey.’     
L'Arena di Verona
Act sc viii. The tenor (Vittorio Grigòlo) again sees 'the woman in red' and sings of his hope to win his ideal woman. (Puccini: Turandot, 'Nessun Dorma')
photo: Giovanni Daniotti
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‘An event of international importance, absolutely not to be missed’    
Gazzetta del Sud 
Vittorio Grigòlo as the officer of the Risorgimento, in front of the poster for the Press briefing in Milan
photo: Giovanni Daniotti
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John Pascoe and Vittorio Grigòlo during preparations for the tour of "Italia, Un Sogno" in the summer of 2016.
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‘The charisma, the voice and the stage presence of Grigòlo’     
Gazzetta del Sud 
Act 2 sc viii, contd. The tenor (Vittorio Grigòlo) knows that ultimately he will be victorious. (Puccini: Turandot, 'Nessun Dorma')
photo: Giovanni Daniotti
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