MAXXI and Teatro dell'Opera di Roma sign three-year art collaboration

The MAXXI – Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo and the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma have signed a three-year agreement to integrate contemporary art into the opera house's programming. Each year, a different artist will create a site-specific project aligned with the season's themes, including an exhibition in the theater's foyer and a visual campaign. The inaugural artist is Marinella Senatore (born 1977 in Cava de' Tirreni), founder of the School of Narrative Dance (SOND), known for merging performance, collective practices, and participatory actions involving music, dance, and acting. For the 2022/2023 season, Senatore has produced 17 collages using vintage photographs, historical sketches, and silhouettes addressing themes of revolutionary women, imprisonment, slavery, religion, freedom, travel, and post-colonialism. The works will be exhibited starting November 2022. The project was initiated by Francesco Giambrone, the new superintendent of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, who asked the museum to curate the theater's visual identity. Bartolomeo Pietromarchi, Director of MAXXI Arte, selected Senatore for her longstanding practice. The collaboration may expand to include costume design, set design, and direction in future seasons. Elena Motisi, curator at MAXXI, and Galleria Mazzoleni in Turin, which represents Senatore, were also involved.