Venice, September 14, 2021- Within the enchanting setting of the Teatro Goldoni, on the evening of Sunday 12 September, the theatrical performance “La donna di fuoco”, based on the historical character and pioneer of Venetians beads, Marietta Badovier, was presented. The performance paid tribute to the art glass of Venice, concluding the Venice Glass Week festival, which this year took place during the celebration for the 1600 year from the foundation of the city.
The show is the outcome of an important historical and anthropological research work, carried out by the “Associazione Arte-Mide” along with students, researchers, collectors and glassmakers, as part of the project “Interreg EU DIVA”, in cooperation with several partners including the Municipality of Venice, Venezia 1600, the Council of Europe, Ca’ Foscari, URS, EU Direct, CPVV, with the involvement of the Veneto Region and the Archivio Vittorio Cini Foundation.
This long research work has enhanced in the theatrical performance, the emblematic figure of Marietta Barovier, a creative and fascinating character, an independent woman, and entrepreneur, that in the fifteenth century was among the first to get clearance from the Serenissima to open its own glass factory (fornace). “La donna di fuoco” is the story of a glassmaker, an artist, alchemist, and chemical, able to make major changes to the history of glass thanks to her famous particular glass design beads called “perle rosetta” (worldwide known as chevron). An iconic game of twelve-pointed reeds made of blue, white, and red concentric circles, which since 2020 has been declared as UNESCO cultural and material heritage. An important acknowledgment for the city of Venice, place of cultural creation of a heritage that must be preserved, promoted, and made available to the public, and that now has been transformed into a theatrical performance.
The direction of Massimo Navone and the performance of Chiarastella Seravalle, actress and text writer, conduct the viewer through a time travel in a fifteenth century Venice. The atmosphere is enriched by the background music of Rachele Colombo that, with empathy, invites the audience to discover the deepest aspects of the art glass and of this character, an example of empowerment and a big inspiration for those days and for the present.
The theatrical performance was also adapted in a self-titled feature film, produced by Ginko film in cooperation with Studio El Cocal. The national premiere movie trailer was displayed at the 78th Venice Film Festival, while the full version, subtitled in four languages, will be presented during the European Day of languages, on September 26 at 6.00 PM, on the YouCaFoscari channel, the YouTube channel of the Venetian university.