Raffaella Carrà musical 'Bailo Bailo' to debut in Madrid

The musical 'Bailo Bailo' dedicated to Raffaella Carrà will premiere on November 2, 2023, at the former Cinema Capitol on Madrid's Gran Via, a historic 1933 art deco venue converted into a theater. The production is led by Italian promoter Valeria Arzenton, directed by Federico Belloni, with choreography by Gillian Bruce, costumes by Antonio Belart, and musical arrangements by Giovanni Maria Lori. The Spanish cast features Lydia Fairen in the lead role, while Italian Marco Martinelli sings the remake of 'Bailo Bailo'. The musical is not a biopic but a story of female emancipation set in 1970s Spain during the dictatorship, inspired by Carrà's values and hits. The project originated from the film 'Explota Explota!' (2020) by Uruguayan director Nacho Álvarez, in which Carrà made a cameo; Arzenton acquired the rights while Carrà was still alive. A preview was presented at the 2022 Sanremo Festival. The event is under the patronage of the Italian Embassy in Spain. Carrà, born in Bologna in 1943, is a beloved icon in Spain, where a plaza is named after her, and her music broke through the oppressive Francoist era.