{"id":104414,"date":"2026-04-15T10:53:40","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T09:53:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/mittelfest-2026-paura\/"},"modified":"2026-04-15T14:07:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T13:07:57","slug":"mittelfest-2026-paura","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/en\/mittelfest-2026-paura\/","title":{"rendered":"MITTELFEST 2026: PAURA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>14-17 May Mittelyoung \/ 16-26 July Mittelfest<\/strong><br><strong>Cividale del Friuli<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Direzione artistica Giacomo Pedini<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">At its xxxv edition, Mittelfest, with the theme PAURA (FEAR), challenges our instinct for control, probing the depths and mysteries of human nature, ancient narratives and contemporary scenarios, opening up possibilities for the unexpected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mittelfest 16-26 July: The festival presents 32 artistic projects from 16 countries, including 20 world or Italian premieres, with reinterpretations of classics that explore their hidden depths; untold stories and lost pieces of history, blending genres and languages, and bringing together renowned artists and emerging talents. The focus on the audience of tomorrow remains constant through the family project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Mittelyoung 14-17 May: A unique event in Europe, staging 9 selected performances of prose, dance, music and circus from under-30 Mitteleuropa, thus giving substantial support to young people, chosen by other young people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The past teaches us that the future is unpredictable, whilst the present is a source of growing concern. Against this backdrop, the mind acts as our guiding force, striving to reduce the unknown to the known, in an attempt to free us from the fear of what we do not know and what lies beyond our control. But what if, instead, we dared to look deep into the darkness? This is the starting point for an exploration of the theme of <strong>PAURA (FEAR)<\/strong>, giving life to the XXXV edition of <strong>Mittelfest<\/strong> <strong>&#8211; a leading multidisciplinary festival of theatre, music, dance<\/strong> <strong>and circus<\/strong> for the countries of Central Europe and the Balkans, based in <strong>Cividale del Friuli<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is how Mittelfest Artistic Director, <strong>Giacomo Pedini,<\/strong> explains the theme that inspired him for the programme: &#8220;Fear is all in the expectations, in what we imagine it will be. Fear is the primary emotion that anticipates events, it does not follow them. It is already there. It arrives and points the way. Yet, while it predicts succumbing to every fatal challenge, it prevents the outcome. All you have to do is go beyond what your eyes believe. Because sight is often deceiving: it does not notice what is in front of it, but what the mind already expects. The gaze, it is said, only registers differences. If the fear that lurks in our thoughts were overcome by our actions, some miracle might reveal itself. Instead of running away from it, why not follow every fear wherever it leads us? Why not accept its adventures?&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The two international festivals<\/strong> are staged respectively <strong>from 14 to 17 May, Mittelyoung<\/strong>, and <strong>from 16 to 26 July, Mittelfest<\/strong>, while throughout the year Mittelfest goes on under the name of <strong>Mittelland<\/strong>, with events that give continuity to the festival and identify it as a bridge between European collaborations and local realities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>In numbers<\/strong>, the two festivals will stage a total of <strong>41 titles<\/strong>, involving artists from <strong>21 different countries in Central Europe, the Balkans and neighbouring<\/strong> countries, <strong>and from other countries around the world <\/strong>(Italy, Netherlands, France, Poland, Germany, Argentina, Croatia, South Africa, North Macedonia, Portugal, Norway, Serbia, Hungary, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Latvia, Slovenia, Switzerland).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a>In detail, this year <strong><u>Mittelfest<\/u><\/strong> has <strong>32 artistic projects<\/strong> &#8211; 17 music, 7 theatre, 4 dance and 4 circus, plus the 3 shows selected from Mittelyoung, with <strong>19 world<\/strong> and <strong>Italian premieres. <u>Mittelyoung<\/u> <\/strong>hosts the <strong>9<\/strong> winning projects from the call for entries closed last February with 238 <strong>applications<\/strong> from all over Europe: 2 theatre, 3 music, 2 dance and 2 circus, representing <strong>7 different countries.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"102860\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Esploratori1920x1080-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-102860\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Esploratori1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Esploratori1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Esploratori1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Esploratori1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Esploratori1920x1080.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"103331\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Lo-strano-caso-del-dottor-Jekyll-e-del-signor-Hyde-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-103331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Lo-strano-caso-del-dottor-Jekyll-e-del-signor-Hyde-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Lo-strano-caso-del-dottor-Jekyll-e-del-signor-Hyde-1920x1080-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Lo-strano-caso-del-dottor-Jekyll-e-del-signor-Hyde-1920x1080-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Lo-strano-caso-del-dottor-Jekyll-e-del-signor-Hyde-1920x1080-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Lo-strano-caso-del-dottor-Jekyll-e-del-signor-Hyde-1920x1080-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MITTELFEST 16-26 July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Programme<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2026 edition of Mittelfest, the last of Artistic Director Giacomo Pedini&#8217;s tenure,<strong> will see the official ribbon cut<\/strong> on Saturday <strong>18 July <\/strong>at the Church of San Francesco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The curtain will rise as early as <strong>16 July<\/strong> with a variety of events, including the traditional <strong>Adelaide Ristori Prize<\/strong>, established in memory of the actress from Cividale, which every year honours leading figures of the national scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among the <strong><u>major events<\/u><\/strong> on the programme, a highlight is <em>Una Traviata da Cortile (A Courtyard Traviata)<\/em> on Monday 20 July: a reinterpretation of Verdi&#8217;s <em>La Traviata<\/em> \u2013 itself based on <em>the Lady of the Camellias<\/em> by Alexandre Dumas fils \u2013 in a popular adaptation, written and performed by <strong>Alessandro Baricco<\/strong>, at Azienda Zorzettig, followed by a tasting of Friulian food and wine. <em>Era di maggio (It was May)<\/em> takes to the stage on Saturday 25 July as Mittelfest tribute to the 50th anniversary of the earthquake in Friuli: a work by <strong>Flavio Santi<\/strong> with music by <strong>Orchestra Corelli<\/strong>, which brings together, for the first time, folk traditions surrounding the &#8216;Orcolat&#8217; with historical accounts, featuring a powerful performance by <strong>Alessio Boni<\/strong>. <em>Esploratori o geografi? Due visioni per comprendere il mondo (Explorers or geographers? Two perspectives on understanding the world)<\/em>, on 26 July, is another premiere, produced by 5th Element in collaboration with Mittelfest and Ravenna Festival: taking Antoine de Saint-Exup\u00e9ry&#8217;s <em>The Little Prince<\/em> as its starting point, it presents various perspectives on the perception of reality: from that of explorer <strong>Alex Bellini<\/strong>, accompanied by music by <strong>Luca Lagash<\/strong> of Marlene Kuntz, to the virtual perspective of artificial intelligence. But let&#8217;s also mention a free event that Mittelfest offers to its audience in Piazza Duomo (like the two previous events), which is a preview from Hungary: <em>Mozzafiato! (Don&#8217;t forget&nbsp;to&nbsp;breath!)<\/em>&nbsp;by <strong>Sophie&nbsp;Zoletnik<\/strong>&nbsp;and <strong>Lennart&nbsp;Paar<\/strong>, in which two&nbsp;circus performers breathe and move beneath a geodesic dome, transforming the rhythm of breath itself into movement and fear into&nbsp;confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the entire Mittelfest 2026 programme is packed with original performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong><u>Theatre<\/u><\/strong> programme features a<strong> <\/strong>number of new productions, with many big names from the Italian theatre scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The programme opens with <em>Lo strano caso del dottor Jeckyl e del Signor Hyde (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde)<\/em> (16\u201318 July), directed by <strong>Fabio Condemi<\/strong> and starring <strong>Cristian La Rosa<\/strong>, with dramaturgy by <strong>Federico Bellini<\/strong> and dramaturgy of images by <strong>Fabio Cherstich<\/strong>. A world premiere retelling the story of Mr Hyde, who represents the physicality, desire and transgression that Jekyll conceals beneath a life devoted to reason, revealing the two sides of us all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another debut is<em> <\/em><em>B\u00e9bi<\/em>. <em>Il primo amore (B\u00e9bi. First love)<\/em>, adapted from the novel of the same name by S\u00e1ndor M\u00e1rai, starring <strong>Andrea Bosca<\/strong> and directed by <strong>Giacomo Pedini<\/strong>, which goes on stage on 18 July as a co-production between Mittelfest and Bam Teatro. The story centres on an anonymous middle-aged teacher and two of his pupils: Mad\u00e1r, a brilliant yet restless boy from the slums, and B\u00e9bi, a girl from a privileged background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jeton and Blerta Neziraj<\/strong>, the former a writer and the latter a director at Qendra Multimedia, return to Mittelfest on 19 July with a new and much-needed international co-production (Kosovo, South Africa, North Macedonia, Italy, Portugal, Norway, France)- another premiere &#8211; on the theme of reconciliation: <em>Chi perdona (Who forgives. Under the shade of a tree I sat and wept)<\/em>, a production that invites reflection on forgiveness as a means of social healing, drawing from the events that saw, in 1990 in Kosovo and in 1995 in South Africa, the establishment of public forums to reconcile long-standing feuds and overcome apartheid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On 22 July, the Croatian production <em>Son, Mother and Father sit at a table in silence<\/em> arrives \u2013 an Italian premiere by <strong>Ivor Martini\u0107<\/strong> and<strong> Aleksandar \u0160vabi\u0107<\/strong>, from ZKM Theatre, which confronts us with a sharp question: if you could only keep one of your children alive, which one would it be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then, on 23 and 24 July, the programme continues with<em> Una madre coraggio (A mother courage)<\/em>, a reworking of Bertolt Brecht\u2019s play by <strong>Michele Santeramo<\/strong>, presented as a monologue for a great performer such as <strong>Laura Marinoni<\/strong>, directed by <strong>Gianluca Barbidori<\/strong>, to establish a direct connection with the audience, who will feel as though they are meeting the real Anna Fierling, Brecht&#8217;s &#8220;Mother Courage&#8221;, with her provocative, ironic, tender tone. Another world premiere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>La strage di Vergarolla (Vergarola explosion)<\/em>, on 24 July, is a preview production by Teatro Rossetti, Stabile del Friuli Venezia Giulia, written by <strong>Paolo Valerio<\/strong> and historian <strong>Davide Rossi<\/strong>, and directed by Paolo Valerio himself. Eighty years on, one of the most tragic and forgotten chapters of 20th-century Italy is brought to the surface: the explosion on 18 August 1946, on Vergarola beach in Pula, which claimed the lives of around a hundred civilians, including many children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The theatre programme concludes with another production making its world premiere at Mittelfest: <em>John and Joe<\/em> by \u00c1gota Krist\u00f3f, starring <strong>Manuela Mandracchia<\/strong> and <strong>Alvia Reale<\/strong>, on stage on 26 July, the final day of the festival. The story highlights and ridicules the price of dreams in the age of capitalism, when the friendship between two women, on the fringes of a ruthless society, is put to the test by a lottery ticket, in a mix of claustrophobia and comedy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"104166\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/foto-spettacoli-sito-1920x1080-4-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104166\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/foto-spettacoli-sito-1920x1080-4-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/foto-spettacoli-sito-1920x1080-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/foto-spettacoli-sito-1920x1080-4-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/foto-spettacoli-sito-1920x1080-4-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/foto-spettacoli-sito-1920x1080-4.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"103368\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Bebi-1024x576.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-103368\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Bebi-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Bebi-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Bebi-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Bebi-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Bebi.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Turning to <strong><u>music<\/u><\/strong>, the 2026 edition of Mittelfest is dominated by folk, dance and ethno-folk rhythms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>&nbsp;<u>world music<\/u><\/strong> programmeopens on 17 July with <em>Hold your horses<\/em>, a show from the Netherlands by <strong>De Dansers<\/strong>,twelve hands grasping, striking, probing, riding and plucking guitar strings, in a dance concert that blends music and movement. This is followed on the same day by <em>From fear to light<\/em>: <strong>Vasko Vassilev<\/strong>, a Bulgarian artist and concertmaster of the Royal Opera House, is set to take Mittelfest by storm with the explosive quintet of the <strong>Covent Garden Soloists<\/strong>, through a repertoire that transcends genre boundaries, from Vivaldi to Brahms, from the Balkan tradition to tango.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On 19 July, in an Italian premiere, <em>Lumen<\/em>, by <strong>Dagadana<\/strong>, offers a fusion concert blending Polish and Ukrainian music, with ethnic, pop and rock rythms, in a mix of ancient Slavic ritual songs for good fortune, which serve as the starting point for a joyful journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The line-up remains strong on 22 July with <em>Prikezhia<\/em>, performed by the Hungarians <strong>Romano Drom<\/strong>, the wildest Gipsy-Vlach ensemble in Central Europe, telling tales of an urban folklore to Mittelfest for their Italian premiere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then, on 23 July, the original show <em>La caccia (The Hunt)<\/em> makes its world premiere: a blend of music and neuroscience in which cellist <strong>Jorge Gim\u00e9nez<\/strong> and pianist <strong>Matteo Bevilacqua<\/strong> challenge and chase one another in a musical hunt through the works of Beethoven, Mendelssohn and some famous film scores, whilst their emotional states, monitored by a neural headset, are transformed into visual art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On 24 July, the Serbian band <strong>Alice in WonderBand<\/strong> will present their new album <em>The courage to be afraid<\/em>, in its Italian premiere; the Serbian duo blends world music and body percussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The final two events in this programme are <em>Fos<\/em>, a Greek show making its world premiere by the award-winning singer <strong>Erini<\/strong>, scheduled for 25 July, commemorating the Greek exodus from Asia Minor in 1923, and <em>Disorienti<\/em>, on 26 July, in which <strong>Ana\u00efs Drago<\/strong>&#8216;s violin meets <strong>Peppe Frana<\/strong>&#8216;s oud, and Asian tradition meets jazz, in an original yet unexpected musical journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"103019\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fos-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-103019\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fos-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fos-1920x1080-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fos-1920x1080-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fos-1920x1080-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/fos-1920x1080-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"103284\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/lumen-2-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-103284\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/lumen-2-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/lumen-2-1920x1080-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/lumen-2-1920x1080-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/lumen-2-1920x1080-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/lumen-2-1920x1080-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><u>Classical music<\/u><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The highlight of this year\u2019s classical music programme will take place on 24 July with a concert by <strong>FVG Orchestra<\/strong> entitled <em>Il demoniaco (The demonic)<\/em>. A journey into the dark side of music, blending virtuosity and restlessness, bringing together pianist <strong>Gabriele Strata<\/strong> and violinist <strong>Christian Sebastianutto<\/strong>, along with FVG Orchestra conducted by <strong>Paolo Paroni<\/strong>, as they explore Liszt, Tartini, Strauss, treading the fine line of fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The musical programme closes with world premieres by the <strong>conservatories<\/strong>: on 20 July, <strong>Conservatorio Tartini<\/strong> with <em>Chi ha paura del lupo cattivo? (Who is afraid of the big bad wolf?<\/em>), and on 21 July, <em>Fa\u00e7ade. Un intrattenimento in musica (Fa\u00e7ade. An Entertainment)<\/em>, a musical performance by <strong>Conservatorio Tomadini<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This leads to the<strong> <u>Dance<\/u><\/strong> programme.&nbsp;<strong><u><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scheduled for 21 July, <em>Dialogues in the dream<\/em> is a new production by the Franco-Hungarian dancer <strong>Josef Nadj<\/strong>, who also choreographed the show alongside <strong>Ivan Fatjo<\/strong>, set to music by John Cage. Dance, music and performance blend together, drawing inspirations from the writings of the Zen master Mus\u014d and the Hungarian poet Dezs\u0151 Tandori.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the second Saturday of the festival, 25 July, Mittelfest will host <strong>Marco D\u2019Agostin&#8217;s<\/strong> <em>Best Regards<\/em>, a secular, pop-inspired tribute to Nigel Charnock, the dancer and choreographer who passed away in 2012: a letter to someone who will never reply, yet one that speaks to us all, for those times when we did not arrive in time to say what we wanted to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From Friuli arrives the last day, 26 July <em>8. Otto archi<\/em>, <em>otto corpi (8. Eight strings, eight bodies)<\/em>, a world premiere by <strong>Arearea <\/strong>with <strong>Fondazione Bon<\/strong>, conceived and directed by <strong>Roberto Cocconi<\/strong> to music by <strong>Michael Gordon<\/strong>. On stage, eight cellos form an octagon, with eight dancers at the centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, the latest dance proposal, <em>Pop<\/em> by <strong>Nicola Galli<\/strong>, scheduled for 26 July, takes us to the Family Project. An interactive show for children and families that uses play to explore the body&#8217;s many motor possibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moving on with the<strong> <u>Family Project<\/u><\/strong>.<strong><u><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>On 17 July, Les bleus de travail by 3Clowns<\/em>, a Franco-Polish group composed of <strong>Laurent Barboux, Lionel Becimol, Alexandre Demay<\/strong>, takes us on a comical yet brutal journey in which the clown&#8217;s craft is explored. On 19 July, <em>Tuba<\/em> by the German-Argentine clowns company <strong>Expectativa Zero<\/strong> , created by <strong>Martin Orchessi<\/strong> \u2013 who also performs alongside <strong>Maria Jose Ferronato<\/strong> \u2013 premieres a clown-led tuba concert that celebrates failure, transforming every mistake into a new creative opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On 25 July, the Family Project closes with <em>Alice in WonderBand<\/em>&#8216;s workshop and <em>La musica dei balocchi (The music of toys)<\/em> by <strong>Anais Drago<\/strong> and <strong>Saba Salvemini<\/strong>, a journey into the world of Pinocchio where music takes the form of an orchestra of thunder, a choir of carpenters and an ensemble of donkeys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mittelfest 2026 programme is rounded off by <strong><u>circus performances.<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On 23 July <em>, Copp\u00e9lia, Un ballet m\u00e9canique<\/em>, by the Italian company <strong>Blucinque<\/strong>, conceived and directed by <strong>Caterina Mochi Sismondi<\/strong>, will take centre stage. It explores the theme of identity and the body through a female figure who is fragile yet, at the same time, ironic and powerful, inspired by Fernand L\u00e9ger&#8217;s Cubist film <em>Ballet M\u00e9canique<\/em> (1924). Finally, on 25-26 July, <em>Symbiosis<\/em>, the German <strong>Kolja Huneck<\/strong> and the Dutch <strong>Luuk Branjes<\/strong>. A major production, involving collaborations between various cultural organisations, in which dream and reality intermingle, creating a surreal universe, where the artists explore the relationship between human beings and the natural environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Furthermore, Mittelfest hosts the <strong><u>3 shows selected from Mittelyoung<\/u><\/strong> and many side events. These include the <strong>Adelaide Ristori Prize<\/strong> (<strong>16 July<\/strong>), the Italy-Serbia forum, a number of &#8216;Kaffee&#8217; with artists and Mittelimmagine shorts films. And this year again <strong>MitteLounge<\/strong> from 21 to 23 July: music and aperitifs at sunset in the marquee in the Ursulines&#8217; Garden, with local bands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"102985\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Coppelia1920x1080-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-102985\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Coppelia1920x1080-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Coppelia1920x1080-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Coppelia1920x1080-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Coppelia1920x1080-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Coppelia1920x1080.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"103069\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3clown-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-103069\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3clown-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3clown-1920x1080-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3clown-1920x1080-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3clown-1920x1080-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/3clown-1920x1080-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MITTELYOUNG 14-17 May<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since its inception 6 years ago, Mitteyoung, Mitteleuropa under-30 festival, is one of the most original features that Mittelfest brings to the panorama of Italian and European festivals, to give audiences the chance to see a generation on stage and, at the same time, to give actual production support to young people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>9 shows<\/strong> by artists under 30 have been chosen by curators under 30 and will land at Mittelyoung 2026, including music, theatre, dance and circus, from 7 countries (Italy, Latvia, Germany, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Slovenia) after an open call that attracted <strong>238 applications<\/strong> from 28 countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>prize awarded by a jury of experts<\/strong>, called upon to evaluate and endorse Mittelyoung&#8217;s most interesting proposals, is confirmed for 2026, with jurors Riccardo Ventrella of Teatro della Pergola, Francesca Di Fazio, junior artistic director of ERT Fondazione, and critic and scholar Roberto Canziani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Programme:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mittelyoung is being held <strong>from 14 to 17 May 2026<\/strong> in the Church of Santa Maria dei Battuti in Cividale with the following programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;<strong>14 May<\/strong> begins with<strong> Felix Chang<\/strong>&#8216;s dance performance <em>W\u00faj\u00ecn <\/em><em>\u7121\u76e1<\/em><strong> <\/strong>&nbsp;, the Chinese title draws on Taoist philosophy and means &#8216;endless&#8217;. It explores the concept of infinity in lofty and evocative terms. Drawing on the physical practices of Taiwanese temple culture, Felix Chang and <strong>Gabriella Lemma<\/strong> invite the audience to a ceremony of &#8216;attention&#8217;. The first day concludes with a concert by the Slovenian group <strong>Duplina<\/strong>, <em>Nove stare zgodbe<\/em>, &#8216;new old stories&#8217;, which explores the allure of oral tradition and folk music from the Slovenian and German cultural heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On <strong>15 May<\/strong>, the curtain opens with the circus show<em> Chuck my life<\/em> by Czech artist <strong>Arman Kupelyan<\/strong>. Chuck struggles with all his might against the demands of everyday life, but he does so through butoh, the famous Japanese dance, in a clown-inspired version and with an irrepressible passion for inflatable balloons. On Friday, the first Italian show will take to the stage: <strong>Divanoproject<\/strong>&#8216;s theatrical production <em>Un live podcast (A live podcast)<\/em>, already a winner of Teatrinscena competition. Four young people have to produce a podcast as part of a competition for new talent. One of them recounts an incident that actually happened to him, but refuses to alter the story to make it more compelling. The show also marks the renewed collaboration between Mittefest and RAI Radio3 for Futuro presente.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"103133\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/INSERT-COIN-PLAYER-ONE-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-103133\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/INSERT-COIN-PLAYER-ONE-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/INSERT-COIN-PLAYER-ONE-1920x1080-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/INSERT-COIN-PLAYER-ONE-1920x1080-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/INSERT-COIN-PLAYER-ONE-1920x1080-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/INSERT-COIN-PLAYER-ONE-1920x1080-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"103089\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WUJIN-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-103089\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WUJIN-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WUJIN-1920x1080-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WUJIN-1920x1080-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WUJIN-1920x1080-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WUJIN-1920x1080-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On <strong>16 May<\/strong>, the day begins with the Swiss Dance piece <em>Adam&#8217;s Apple<\/em> by <strong>Company Creama<\/strong>, a humorous performance that explores the sense of shame women feel about their bodies and identities. An invitation to embrace and accept oneself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the same day, there will be a musical performance by <strong>I Tre Moschettieri cello quartet<\/strong>, an Italian ensemble presenting <em>Akylas \u2013 ex opsesos<\/em>. &nbsp;A concert taking place in total darkness, where the hall, devoid of visual cues, becomes Perseus&#8217; labyrinth, and where a cello quartet guides us through the landscapes of fear, from Haydn to Schumann, via Bach, Schubert and Tchaikovsky. The programme concludes with the Bulgarian theatrical production <em>Insert coin \/ player one<\/em> by <strong>Karakashyan &amp; Artists<\/strong>, a captivating show that explores the boundaries between the real world and the virtual world, in which the audience becomes an active player in a live video game that addresses the themes of identity, desire and control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, on <strong>17 May<\/strong>, <strong>Annie Wicca<\/strong>&#8216;s Latvian music will be on stage, in the show <em>A song is a map<\/em>, a concert that explores fear as a threshold, as that emotion that precedes action, desire and transformation, where each track corresponds to a phase of the moon and represents a different nuance of fear. The festival will close with <strong>Rachele Ferraro<\/strong>&#8216;s circus show <em>Breath<\/em>, a journey through theatre, juggling and contemporary dance, exploring the fear of suffocation. From drowning to a liberating breath, from suffering to poetry. The under-30 festival will conclude, as always, with the awards ceremony and the selection of the three shows to be featured in the main festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The 2026 edition of Mittelfest marks the conclusion of the two tenures of Artistic Director Giacomo Pedini (2021-2023, 2024-2026)<\/strong>: his forward-looking vision has helped to strengthen Mittelfest\u2019s identity, whilst also introducing new elements that have proved to be part of a successful formula in terms of audience engagement and international relations. These include, among others, the circus, the under-30 festival Mittelyoung, a new capacity not only to produce shows, but also to keep them alive by distributing them on the national and international scene, new European partnerships, and the new Mittelbabel digital archive. Since 2024, Mittelfest has also played a key role in GO! 2025 &#8211; Nova Gorica and Gorizia European Capital of Culture, with a major multidisciplinary project and three theatre productions. The latest, <em>L&#8217;alba dopo la fine della Storia (Dawn after the end of history)<\/em>, will tour Italy and Croatia in October and November 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"103141\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Un-live-podcast-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-103141\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Un-live-podcast-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Un-live-podcast-1920x1080-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Un-live-podcast-1920x1080-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Un-live-podcast-1920x1080-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Un-live-podcast-1920x1080-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"103051\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/breath-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-103051\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/breath-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/breath-1920x1080-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/breath-1920x1080-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/breath-1920x1080-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/breath-1920x1080-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:42px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:42px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>UFFICIO STAMPA MITTELFEST<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nazionale\/ Internazionale Giulia Calligaro giulia.calligaro4@gmail.com 0039.349.6095623<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Macroregionale Francesca Gatti: <a href=\"mailto:f.gatti@reportagepr.com\">f.gatti@reportagepr.com<\/a>, 0039.347.9854644<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Generale: <a href=\"mailto:ufficiostampa@mittelfest.org\">ufficiostampa@mittelfest.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:42px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>14-17 May Mittelyoung \/ 16-26 July MittelfestCividale del Friuli Direzione artistica Giacomo Pedini At its xxxv edition, Mittelfest, with the theme PAURA (FEAR), challenges our instinct for control, probing the depths and mysteries of human nature, ancient narratives and contemporary scenarios, opening up possibilities for the unexpected. Mittelfest 16-26 July: The festival presents 32 artistic [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":103985,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-104414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104414","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104414"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104414\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104423,"href":"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104414\/revisions\/104423"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/103985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104414"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104414"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mittelfest.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104414"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}