Ferrara's Bonsai Festival Returns for Seventh Edition with Citywide Performances

The seventh edition of the Bonsai Festival, organized by Ferrara Off, will take place from May 12 to July 10, 2023, in Ferrara, Italy. The festival's theme is 'Sconfinamento' (border crossing), featuring site-specific and itinerant performances, previews, special editions, microtheater, and first studies. Artistic director Giulio Costa stated that the edition aims to surpass limits, mix genres, and occupy new spaces. The festival includes free workshops and seminars from May to July at Ferrara Off and other city venues. New locations this year include the Pinacoteca Nazionale, Certosa Monumentale, and Nuova Terraviva, as noted by organizational director Marco Sgarbi. The program begins on May 12 with 'Italia 90' by Alice Conti of Ortika company, a tragicomic dialogue of three female generations. On May 13, Cantiere Artaud presents a research on time as memory. On May 14, in collaboration with Gallerie Estensi, the festival moves to the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Ferrara. Dorota Kusiak, assessor for live performance of the Emilia Region, highlighted 'Prova di volo' by Drogheria Rebelot, which celebrates Mother's Day and introduces the International Day of Families on May 15. The festival resumes on May 22. Bonsai is a showcase for emerging artists and companies, selected via the second 'Chiamata OFFline', which received over 350 applications from Italy and abroad, alongside established authors and performers.