With the aim to expand artistic possibilities, excite, inspire and enhance the human experience, Cristiano Leone is back with yet another one of his unique and scintillating creations that is bound to sweep you off your feet! For those who are still not acquainted with Cristiano, he is a decorated Italian philologist, a renowned curator, artistic director, and playwright. He is your modern-day Franco Zeffirelli specializing in contemporary creation comprising hues of cultural aspects and historiography.
To jump right in, his new audiovisual project – RADIX – is designed to promote the dialogue between contemporary dance and the historical heritage of Rome. And to bring this masterpiece to life, Leone collaborated with multiple renowned dancers and choreographers, namely, the award-winning Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich. Shot at the Baths of Caracalla, a mesmerizing archaeological site tracing back to AD 216, RADIX 2 is a superior vehicle for cultural diplomacy promoted by the Cultural Office of the Spanish Embassy in Italy, Special Superintendence of Rome, the Royal Academy of Spain in Rome, the Instituto Cervantes in Rome, and in partnership with Rai Cultura, the famous and longstanding (almost a century) public broadcasting company.
In RADIX 2, Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich pay tribute to Rome through one of its most iconic monuments, the Baths of Caracalla, as well as to the cultural heritage of two anti-fascist intellectuals, Rafael Alberti and his wife María Teresa León. These two intrepid lovers, exiled in Rome for fighting the Franco regime, personify Rome in the 1960s. To complement this setting, the soundtrack, composed for the occasion by Marc Àlvarez, a renowned Spanish composer, pays homage to Ennio Morricone and Nino Rota’s symphonic pieces.
This masterpiece by Leone is based on the tenants of exploring the themes of exile and cultural belonging with a highly volatile political background (marked in recent times by the tragedy of the Afghan exiles). This audiovisual project is a homage to the people who are forced to leave their country and to those who live a form of exile for having chosen to defend their ideals.
Premiered on the 24th of September 2021, RADIX 2 is now available on the Rai Cultura website.
