Who knows if one day we'll cast off our masks at Teatro della Concordia of Monte Castello di Vibio, Virginio Gazzolo really dropped the masks, sharing himself in a emotionally charged performance that left many spectators speechless.
Before the start of the show, a video displays images of the performances that Gazzolo generously gifted to the Montecastello's jewel.
On the stage with him was Edoardo Brenci (President of the Society Teatro della Concordia APS) , he played the role of the sidekick (the idea for the show was born from a conversation around the actor's fireplace in the town of Monte Castello di Vibio, along with his wife Angela Cardile, who is also an actress, where they have been living since the 1970s).
Thus, starting from his early days (his was the cry in a film in which his parents were involved in dubbing), through anecdotes and trivia, Gazzolo retraces his long career that began in 1960, where he was seen as an actor in: Il più gran ladro della città of Dalton Trumbo at Teatro Manzoni of Milano.
Then his memories dwell on his relationship with the great Eduardo De Filippo and the negative view De Filippo had towards cinema, as well as the battles to ensure that in dubbing, in addition to the voice, the actor's facial expressions should also be taken into account.
Later, he, along with other up-and-coming actors, contributed to founding the first historic Roman theater company known as 'Il Teatro dei 101'.
His cinema debut, on the other hand, dates back to 1973 when the great director Roberto Rossellini entrusted him with the role of Leon Battista Alberti in three episodes of the television film L’età di Cosimo de’ Medici, where the third episode sees him as the undisputed protagonist.
Then Virginio embarks on an ideal literary journey, especially relevant on the theme of peace, passing from Homer to Virgil, Saba, and the Psalms related to the exile of the Jews in Babylon. There is also a reference to the mathematician Pythagoras, his latest work, which has been particularly well-received by critics and the audience.
Finally, the embrace on the stage with his wife, the only love of his life, was deeply moving. At the end of the performance, he addressed these words to his audience:
"Such a beautiful idea for this evening! Lively, fun, emotional. Dear Edoardo, I want to say it again: thank you! You invented and hosted it, staying close to me with affection and a beautiful spirit. After the long pandemic isolation, you reunited me with many dear friends from Monte Castello and the surrounding areas. A warm embrace to you, and also to the precious guardian angels, Francesca and Marta, who worked diligently. Let's not lose touch!
"Culture will save the world!" This is the moral of the performance.
Article written by Simone Mazzi
