Moni Ovadia discusses writing, theater, and secular ethics in Artribune podcast

The Artribune podcast series 'Contemporaneamente' features Moni Ovadia in a thematic dialogue curated by Mariantonietta Firmani. Ovadia, born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria in 1946 to a Sephardic Jewish family, holds a degree in political science and has built a career as a researcher, singer, and performer of ethnic and folk music. His extensive theatrical, discographic, and literary output is rooted in the composite tradition and 'cultural and real vagabondage' of the Jewish people. In the podcast, Ovadia discusses writing, theater, and his concept of the divine as something to be sought but never found. He argues that ethics must be secular to safeguard democracy, criticizes the reduction of all discourse to economic terms, and asserts that nationalism is alien to Judaism, which promotes being perpetually present as strangers among strangers. He emphasizes social equity and the centrality of humanity as guiding principles. Ovadia has also composed music, created an original form of theatrical concert, narrated and directed operas at La Scala in Milan and the Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, co-starred in Nanni Moretti's film 'Caro Diario', appeared in Roberto Faenza's 'Welcome to Freedom', and hosted the radio program 'Note spettinate' on RAI2. The podcast is available on Spreaker.