Singing and Dancing in Assisi
Travel | Assisi | Italy | Musical Theatre | Sacred Travel | St Clare
17 May 2015
A musical theatre production, St Clare and an unexpectedly joyful evening in Assisi — proof that the sacred and the playful are not mutually exclusive. (3 min read)
Staying in Assisi for a few days is the way to do it. The nights here are blissfully quiet and it is wonderful to walk the streets after the day-trippers have gone.
But lest you be bored, there are occasional concerts and even weekly musical theatre. In fact, I scheduled this trip so that I could see Carlo de Tedeschi’s musical “Chiara di Dio” again. This two-act show, in Italian, is about the life of St Clare of Assisi.
“Chiaro di Dio” (Clare of God) opens with an explanation of the interconnectedness of the spirituality of Francis and Clare. We then see Clare on her death bed and as she experiences the perfect passing she remembers her life, including, of course, Francis.
I have seen a lot of musical theatre in New York, London and at home in Australia, but I have never enjoyed a show as much as this one!
The music is original and sublime – uplifting and beautiful. The dancing is first-rate and, apart from one cheesy scene, this is a show that could succeed on Broadway. And I still get a few tears whenever I recall the finale – the house lights come on and the cast “bless” the audience. Never have I felt so much spirit at the theatre.
What makes this show even more extraordinary, is that that cast are all locals!! Some have been doing it for years, others are newbies. And they do this work for very little money – the tickets were only 20 euro.
Don’t be put off by the Italian. You can get a summary of the plot in English when you buy your ticket – it is a nice memento of the show and also a good summary of the key events in Clare’s life. They also sell DVDs, with subtitles, so you can revisit it later. In fact, the DVD is a recording of the performance on the 750th anniversary of Clare’s passing and is also very moving.
See this show in Assisi and you will most certainly go to bed with a full heart and sleep with the angels.
© Paul McCarthy & Iluminar.au
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