A performance of poetry and music by Mana Chuma Teatro is being held at Studio Solipsis in Rabat on September 16.

Titled Ossa di Crita, the performance speaks of a deep connection with the land and the environments that shape our identities. 

During the event, poet-performer Massimo Barilla will be giving a rendition of his poetry while composer and musician Luigi Polimeni will perform live music on piano, synths and theremin.

Elizabeth Grech and Adrian Grima will also be performing some of Barilla’s poetry in English and Maltese respectively.

Barilla’s poetry becomes a flow of beautifully orchestrated sounds from which images arise

Barilla's poetry is described as going underground, growing physical and metaphorical roots, the depths of the earth where both memories and hope reside.

“The performance is bathed by a dynamic Mediterranean spirit and the soundscapes that Barilla gives us are driven by the ancient sounds of the dialect of Reggio Calabria, a dialect that is little accessible to people outside the region of Calabria,” say the organisers.   

“The audience glimpses at meanings but it is the sonority of this ancient tongue rich in alliterations together with Polimeni’s score that gives the emotional force to the performance. Barilla’s poetry becomes a flow of beautifully orchestrated sounds from which images arise.”

Besides the performance, Barilla and Polimeni will be giving a two-hour workshop on the elements of dramaturgy and the building blocks of composition, based on sound and word on that same day. The workshop is open to poets and performers of any skill level and experience. Those interested are requested to book their place in advance.

For more information, contact admin@studiosolipsis.com or through the social media channels of Studio Solipsis.