INTRA Festival of Performing Arts Debuts in Padua's Former Church

The Fondazione Alberto Peruzzo, founded in 2015 by collector Alberto Peruzzo, has transformed the 13th-century ex-Church of Sant'Agnese in Padua into exhibition spaces. From May 24, a new bookshop, Dante61, will open adjacent to the church, focusing on visual culture and independent publishing. The foundation will also launch the first edition of INTRA, a performing arts festival running from May 9 to 28, featuring 16 events across music, theater, and dance. The festival opens May 9 with clarinetist Greta Romani and double bassist Mirco Ballabene, in dialogue with Giovanni De Sandre's exhibition 'Riflessi di Storia. Echi di futuro' documenting the transformation of ex-Palazzo Lanza (acquired by the foundation in 2018). Other highlights include the DOOOM Orchestra concert on May 14, a dance performance by Emma Zani and Roberto Doveri on May 22 inspired by Bizhan Bassiri and Stefano Taglietti's video-opera, and the first Viadante Art District event closing via Dante to traffic. On May 25, Electric Body presents Pollini Electroacoustic Ensemble from the Conservatorio Pollini di Padova. Maurizio Cattelan's installation STADIUM (1991), a nearly 7-meter foosball table for 11-a-side games, will be displayed in the church nave, originally activated by a match between a white team and a migrant team to critique racism and social division.