Operetta Comes to Vittoriale with Showings of Lombardo Classics
After theater and music, the Vittoriale of Gardone Riviera has reached the era of operetta. From tonight until Sunday, three events dedicated to this appreciated theatrical-musical genre are scheduled in the amphitheater that belonged to the Vate. Tonight at 9:15 p.m., the program begins with “Il paese dei campanelli” by Carlo Lombardo and Virgilio Ranzato. Tomorrow continues with “Al Cavallino Bianco” by Ralph Benatzky. On Sunday, it will conclude with “Varieté d’operetta.” The featured ensemble for these three evenings (new to the Vittoriale) is a company with Pippo Santonastaso as the leading performer.
Already staged in recent years by other companies (both at the Vittoriale and in towns within our province), “Il paese dei campanelli” is one of those operettas that enthusiasts always happily go to see. Moreover, the plot of Lombardo & Ranzato’s show is lively and engaging. It tells of a peculiar town where every house is equipped with a magic bell that serves a very specific function: to monitor the behavior of wives.
As if to say that every time a woman “messes up,” the bell starts ringing. And while it’s true that the bells have never actually rung, it’s also possible that the situation could change dramatically, because one fine day, a ship full of cadets and charm-offensive officers arrives in the town’s port…
Cast, Direction, and Tickets
Eleven performers: in addition to the aforementioned Pippo Santonastaso, Silvia Felisetti, Bibiana Carusi, Antonio Colamorea, Dario Turrini, Graziella Barbacini, Italo Ciciriello, Giuliano Scaranello, Patrizia Zangoli, Daniele Cancelliere, and Giosiana Pizzardo. The direction is by Gianpiero Cubeddu, costumes by Monica Conti, scenery by Alessandro Pieghi, choreographies by Gabriella Furlan. The orchestra is conducted by Massimo Pauselli.
Tickets cost 40,000 lire (reduced price 34,000) for the numbered seats and 30,000 lire (26,000) for the gallery. Information at tel. 0365-296519. For tickets purchased before 7:00 p.m. on the day of the show, a 10% presale fee applies.