Rome’s Olympic Theatre is set to launch a new season on September 14th with a vast and varied program designed to cater to all tastes. The lineup of over 40 shows spans comedy, dance, music, and family entertainment.
The season opens on a note of reflection with Daniel Lumera’s “The Art of Meditation – A Path to Health, Well-being and Fulfillment” on September 14th. This thematic thread continues with Gianluca Gotto’s “The Three Ways of Well-being and In the Footsteps of the Buddha” (Sept. 25-26), a shift to historical analysis with Mario Calabresi’s “The Seventies. Terror and Rights” (Oct. 7), and a philosophical exploration with Umberto Galimberti’s “The I and the We. The Primacy of Relationship” (Oct. 28).
Artistic Director Lucia Bocca Montefoschi described the schedule as “boundless,” featuring long-running shows and over 20 unique events. A major highlight is comedian Maurizio Battista, who will return for a nearly two-month marathon from December 17th to February 8th with his show “One… No One… One Hundred Thousand,” a journey through Pirandello and Diogenes. Battista joked about his long tenure, stating, “I almost live in this theatre; you could say I arrive in slippers and leave after my post-show shower.”
Also returning are comedy duo Lillo and Greg with their sold-out show “MOVIe HERCULeO” from March 11th to 29th. Lillo explained the decision to return was to “accommodate as many people as possible,” though Greg quipped it was because his partner is “lazy and doesn’t like to move.” Greg (Claudio Gregori) will also perform a solo concert with a big band on March 31st, featuring music from the Beach Boys to Dean Martin.
The season’s dance offerings include the Rome City Ballet Company’s “Swan Lake” (Oct. 10-12) and the Milan Ballet’s classic “The Nutcracker” for the holidays (Dec. 11-14). Momix will present “Botanica-Season 2” (April 28 – May 10), and the NOGRAVITY Theatre will stage “Fellini Dream” (Oct. 30 – Nov. 2).
Music performances include the international Michael Jackson tribute “Legend The Show” (Nov. 3-5), a homage to Mina by Silvia Mezzanotte, a concert by Inti Illimani (Nov. 17), and a tribute to Franco Califano by Orchestraccia (Nov. 20-23). Elio will perform on December 9th with a band of young virtuosos, and Eduardo De Crescenzo will take the stage on December 10th with “It Happened in Naples – Passion for Voice and Piano.”
Other notable events include Drusilla Foer’s reinterpretation of the myth of Cupid and Psyche in “Venus Enemy” (April 21-26) and Chiara Francini’s autobiographical monologue “Strong and Clear” (May 12-14), which she describes as a story of an “extraordinarily normal life.” Comedian Dado will perform his new show “The Repeater” on May 18th and 19th, and Riccardo Rossi will be on stage November 8th and 9th with “I Wanted to Be a Musician!”