Rome – Once again, culture proves to be a driver for dialogue and connection between peoples. “The Divine Comedy Opera Musical”, the acclaimed theatrical colossal produced by MIC International Company, is preparing to move outside Italy on an ambitious international tour. Starting on 25 April 2025, the opera will make its debut in China, in a series of 15 major cities that include Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, in collaboration with We Opera Studio Limited. An extraordinary event that was officially presented on Tuesday 25 March in the prestigious Loggia del Primaticcio of Palazzo Firenze, headquarters of the Dante Alighieri Society.
The press conference was attended by Francesco and Leonardo Gravina, producers of the show for MIC International Company, the director and author of the libretto, Andrea Ortis and Gianmario Pagano, and composer Marco Frisina. The event was introduced by the Secretary General of the Dante Alighieri Society, Alessandro Masi, evidence of this institution’s constant support for a cultural initiative of international import.
A cultural bridge between Italy and China
At a moment in our history marked by geopolitical tensions and increasing polarisation, culture asserts its role as an instrument for encounter and mutual understanding. Bringing “The Divine Comedy Opera Musical” to China is not only an artistic achievement, it is also an opportunity for dialogue between two millenary civilisations. Dante’s masterpiece, with its powerful narrative and universal themes of justice, redemption, and human destiny, breaks down boundaries of time and place, bringing seemingly distant cultures closer together.
This encounter with the Chinese philosophical and literary tradition opens up new perspectives for reflection and sharing, reaffirming the value of culture as an instrument of rapprochement between East and West. In the wake of Marco Polo’s legacy, MIC International Company chooses to undertake this journey with the same spirit of discovery and wonder, bringing one of the most representative works of Italian heritage to the East.
Extraordinary stage sets
Directed by Andrea Ortis, who also edited the libretto together with Gianmario Pagano, and with music by Marco Frisina, “The Divine Comedy Opera Musical” stands out for its impressive stage design. Thanks to the use of immersive 3D projections, the show transports the audience into the evocative atmospheres of Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise, offering an engaging experience that captivates spectators of all ages.
Winner of prestigious awards, such as the Dante Alighieri Society Gold Medal and Best Musical at the 2019 and 2020 Premio Persefone awards, this opera has enjoyed extraordinary success in past Italian theatre seasons. Now, with its international debut, it is preparing to conquer Asian audiences as well.
Culture as a tool for dialogue
The performance of the “Divine Comedy” in China takes on a deeper meaning not limited to its artistic dimension, as it is an opportunity to foster cultural exchange and academic dialogue between Italy and China. With its ancient roots and modern forms of expression, the Chinese theatre tradition will be able to interact with Western dramatic language, generating a new fusion of art and interpretation.
In an era marked by division and conflict, theatre, music, and dance become instruments of unity, capable of conveying universal messages and creating bridges where politics and economics often raise barriers. “The Divine Comedy Opera Musical” confirms its role not only as a spectacular show, but also as a gesture of faith in the transformative power of art.
For info: www.divinacommediaopera.it
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS
Marco Frisina, Divine Comedy Opera Musical composer
I wrote the opera in 2007 and it has been doing the rounds ever since, with a few breaks. Now it is due to land in China, on another continent. This was a huge challenge, especially in the beginning, due to the fear of tackling a libretto like this. But then I realised that the music flowed easily from Dante’s poetry, which somehow possesses it implicitly.
Each character is an individual world of music, and so the Chinese audience will find all of Italy in this opera. I think they adore Italy and so they will feel at ease in this world of Dante set to music.
Andrea Ortis, Divine Comedy Opera Musical co-author and director
Chinese culture has always manifested a harmony between man and creation, between man and nature, and has done so with ink writing, the poetry of the Tang dynasty, architecture, temples, brocades, and silk. This line of culture and of beauty is something that we Italians are also very familiar with. This is perhaps the language, a language of the soul. This is why, I think, the Divine Comedy has already enjoyed and is still enjoying enormous success, because we will be taking it to more than 15 Chinese cities, including Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. So I would go as far as to say that we will meet just like we did over 700 years ago on the Silk Road with Marco Polo, in the same land of beauty and culture.
Alessandro Masi, Secretary of the Dante Alighieri Society
I believe that translating Dante also into music is a cultural bridge that encourages more rapid comprehension, faster enjoyment of the text and is basically a key for re-reading Dante in 2025. For the West, Dante represents the extreme tip of our cultural consciousness and I believe that if Dante were still alive, he would have come up with reasons for a new-found friendship with the Chinese, reasons for a dialogue that has never been as important as it is now.
Francesco Gravina, MIC International Company President
Where the world of entertainment is concerned, the Divine Comedy—the greatest masterpiece of Italian literature—had never before been performed as a theatre show. So, the idea of taking on something so hugely important was a big challenge. Considering the Divine Comedy from a musical perspective is very complicated as it is not easy to decipher with this kind of language.
The MIC International Company has produced several shows. These shows all have an international matrix, however, because they are all products that have a meaning and value that is also recognised abroad. Therefore, we hope that this path we are building sees us become something of an advocate, driving a process that may take other productions, both ours and those of other theatre producers, abroad.
Gian Mario Pagano, Divina Commedia Opera Musical co-author
Production of an opera on Dante and especially on the Divine Comedy calls for synthesis. You need to make choices, express preferences, make cuts and condense: this was basically our task as the poetry was already there. The only risk was that we would betray or ruin it, so much of the libretto strives to somehow squeeze the Divine Comedy into a performance that at least gives its audience and cast an idea of the character’s entire arc of transformation, of the entire journey of this opera. This obviously poses limitations, but the intent was also to make people reflect and want to get to know Dante more in depth. This was our challenge.
