Fabbrica Europa 2023: 30th Edition Brings 56 Events to Florence

The 30th edition of Fabbrica Europa festival took place in Florence, featuring 56 events and 100 artists across heterogeneous spaces including Teatro del Maggio Fiorentino and Manifattura Tabacchi. The opening performance was Romeo Castellucci's "Domani" at Palazzina Reale, starring blind actress Ana Lucia Barbosa. Castellucci, considered Italy's most famous director, created a 20-minute piece with music by Scott Gibbons, exploring themes of war, nature, and suffering through the image of a child's shoe. Jérôme Bel's "Isadora Duncan" (2020) featured performer Elisabeth Schwarz and expert Chiara Gallerani, drawing on Duncan's autobiography "Ma Vie" and referencing the historical "Isadorables" and Annabelle Gamson, who died in August at age 94. Julie Ann Anzilotti's Compagnia XE presented "Variazioni su Giona," a duet with dancers Paola Bedoni and Paolo Piancastelli, using music by Steven Brown (ex-Tuxedomoon) and Luc Van Lieshout, with set design by Tiziana Draghi, objects by Monica Sarsini, and costumes by Loretta Mugnai. French artists Leïla Ka and Alexandre Fandard performed mirrored solos "Se faire la belle" and "Comme un symbole," exploring themes of escape and exclusion.