Periferico and Trasparenze Festivals Transform Modena's Suburbs

Two festivals, Trasparenze (May 2-5) and Periferico (May 3-12), are regenerating Modena's peripheral urban fabric through nomadic theatre and dance. Trasparenze features Teatro dei Venti's program, including the colossal Moby Dick directed by Stefano Tè (dramaturgy by Giulio Sonno), which will travel to Holzminden, Germany (June 8-9), Pennabilli (June 14), and London's Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (June 22). The production involves 20 actors, acrobats, and musicians alongside local communities, supported by ministerial grants and partnerships with Casa Circondariale di Modena, ATER, Coordinamento Teatro Carcere Emilia-Romagna, and Teatro Ebasko. Another Trasparenze piece, Studio su Demetra by Pragma Studio, uses light and dance to explore the myth of Demeter. Meanwhile, Periferico, organized by the Amigdala group in the Villaggio Artigiano of Modena Ovest, shifts focus from open studios to artist-curated days where practitioners share their methods. Participating artists include Dewey Dell, Effetto Larsen, Enrico Malatesta, Leonardo Delogu with Valerio Sirna, and Isabella Bordoni. Each day offers a unique perspective on body, sound, and word in dialogue with the neighborhood. The festivals aim to create social cohesion and leave lasting impact on the communities.