P r e s e n t O P E R A D E I P U P I

I t a l i a n P u p p e t M a s t e r

M I M M O C U T I C C H I O

T h e a t e r C o m p a n y A s s o c i a z i o n e F i g l i d ’A r t e C u t i c c h i o

M i n n e a p o l i s

Wednesday, Oct. 24 and Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018, 10:00 am I Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, 7:30 pm Artists: Mimmo Cuticchio (master puppeteer) I Giacomo Cuticchio (pupppeteer) I Tania Giordano (stage assistant) Musicians for the evening performance: Carlotta Dradi (cello) I Ezelda Haspopoulos (violin) Derick Rehurek (viola) I Andrea Sieber (violin) Musical scores: Giacomo Cuticchio Curator: Francesca Bortoletti (UMN) I Event organizers: Tiziana Cervesato (ICC) I Anna Olivero (ICC)

THE GREAT DUEL BETWEEN ORLANDO AND RINALDO FOR THE BEAUTIFUL ANGELICA’S SAKE

SYNOPSIS Magical adventures, daring escapes and thrilling battles between knights and animal creatures are part of the action- packed story, inspired by medieval tales and Renaissance poems. Paris is under siege and many of King Charlemagne's knights have left in pursuit of Angelica, the beautiful daughter of a rival king. The General Captain Orlando, the bravest of all, has deserted the Court too. Consequently, Charlemagne appoints his nephew Rinaldo as the new commander of the French army. Eventually Rinaldo neglects his duty and burning with passion for Angelica, challenges Orlando to a duel. The two noblemen would certainly kill each other were it not for a wizard’s intervention!

SCENARIO Backstory Charlemagne and his paladins are attending a festive gathering in Paris. Angelica, the Indian princess of Katai, is also in attendance with her brother Argalia. Angelica expresses her desire to marry the strongest of all the paladins. Argalia will assess the value of the paladins by challenging the pretenders into a duel. Charlemagne thinks that a draw is the best way to proceed. One by one, the paladins arrive to the Pietron of Merlino where the contest takes place. Astolfo is the first paladin, but he is defeated. Ferraù is the second one. He is also defeated. [No one can defeat the Indian prince, because he has an enchanted spear]. Ferraù doesn’t want accept his defeat and knocks Argalia out. Angelica escapes.

Scene 1: Paris’ Palace Charlemagne is desperate. Many paladins left the court in search of Angelica. Even Orlando has abandoned his duties to look for the Indian princess. The sound of the horn announces the siege of Rodomonte, a powerful Saracen officer. Charlemagne entrusts the command of his army to paladin Rinaldo. The attacks ensue.

Scene 2: Pagan battlefield

Battles take place. Rodomonte retreats from Rinaldo's forces. Rinaldo begins a pursuit of Rodomonte.

Scene 3: Countryside with watering hole Orlando is looking for Angelica on his horse Vegliandino. While reaching a watering hole, Orlando is attacked by a monstrous snake. He kills the snake. In the meantime, he hears the voice of a woman asking for help coming from the nearby woods. Orlando runs towards the woods.

Scene 4: In the wood A giant has kidnapped Angelica and wants to take her to the Thessaloniki fair and sell her as a slave. Orlando frees her. Meanwhile Prince Rinaldo arrives. He is en route to Paris as he cannot find the retreating Rodomonte. As soon as Rinaldo sees Angelica, he falls in love again. Rinaldo argues with his cousin Orlando until they start a duel.

Scene 5: Cave of the wizard Malagigi The wizard Malagigi hears complaints from the mouth of hell. The wizard calls the demon Nacalone who informs him of the duel occurring between the two strongest paladins of France. Malagigi decides to go to Paris to inform the emperor Charlemagne of the duel.

Scene 6: Paris’s walls Charlemagne stops the duel between Orlando and Rinaldo. He then gives to the Duke Namo the custody of the princess Angelica. Namo is to return Angelica to Paris. Charlemagne orders Orlando and Rinaldo to go fight the Saracens. It is decided that the best warrior on the battlefield will receive the hand of Angelica. Battles follow until nighttime arrives. The two armies back down to continue on the next day.

Il GRAN DUELLO TRA ORLANDO E RINALDO PER AMORE DELLA BELLA ANGELICA

SINOPSI Magiche avventure, audaci fughe ed emozionanti battaglie tra cavalieri e creature animali fanno parte della trama ricca di azione, ispirata da racconti medievali e poesie rinascimentali. Parigi è sotto assedio e molti dei cavalieri del re Carlo Magno sono partiti alla ricerca di Angelica, la bella figlia di un re rivale. Persino il primo paladino Orlando, il più coraggioso di tutti, ha abbandonato la corte. Carlo Magno allora nomina suo nipote Rinaldo come nuovo comandante dell'esercito francese. Ma alla fine anche Rinaldo trascura il suo dovere e innamoratosi perdutamente egli stesso per Angelica, sfida Orlando a duello. I due nobili si ucciderebbero sicuramente se non fosse per l'intervento di un mago!

CANOVACCIO Antefatto Durante una festa a Parigi, Carlo Magno è riunito con tutti i suoi paladini. Si presenta Angelica, principessa del Katai, accompagnata dal fratello Argalia. Angelica manifesta il desiderio di sposare il più forte dei paladini. Ad assicurarsi del valore dei paladini sarà il fratello che sfiderà i pretendenti ad un colpo di lancia. Carlo Magno pensa ad un sorteggio. Mano a mano i paladini giungeranno al Pietron di Merlino dove si terrà il torneo. Astolfo è il primo paladino sorteggiato ma viene battuto. Segue Ferraù. Anch’egli viene disarcionato [In realtà nessuno può vincere il principe indiano perché possiede una lancia incantata]. Ferraù non vuole tuttavia stare ai patti e mette fuori combattimento Argalia. Angelica fugge.

Scena 1: Reggia di Parigi Carlo Magno è disperato. Molti paladini si sono allontanati dalla corte per andare alla ricerca di Angelica. Finanche Orlando ha abbandonato i suoi doveri per andare a cercare la principessa indiana. Il suono del corno annuncia l’assedio di Rodomonte, potente saraceno. Carlo Magno affida il comando del suo esercito a Rinaldo. Tutti vanno in battaglia.

Scena 2: Campo pagano

Battaglie, infine Rinaldo mette in fuga Rodomonte e lo insegue.

Scena3: Campagna con abbeveratoio Orlando in groppa a Vegliandino cerca Angelica. Giunto vicino ad un abbeveratoio viene assalito da un mostruoso serpente. Lo uccide. Nel frattempo sente la voce di una donna che chiede aiuto provenire dal bosco. Il paladino corre verso il bosco.

Scena 4: Bosco Un gigante ha rapito Angelica e la vuole portare alla fiera del Salonicco per venderla come schiava. Orlando la libera. Nel frattempo arriva il principe Rinaldo che non avendo più trovato Rodomonte sta per tornare a Parigi. Non appena rivede Angelica, gli torna il desiderio d’amore, litiga con il cugino Orlando fino ad arrivare al duello.

Scena 5: Grotta del mago Malagigi Il mago Malagigi sente dei lamenti provenire dalla bocca dell’inferno. Il mago chiama il demonio Nacalone che lo informa del duello tra i due primi valorosi paladini di Francia. Malagigi decide di andare a Parigi ad informare l’imperatore Carlo Magno. Scena 6: Mura di Parigi Carlo Magno ferma il duello fra Orlando e Rinaldo. Poi affida la principessa Angelica in custodia al Duca Namo che la riporta a Parigi. Carlo Magno ordina ad Orlando e Rinaldo di andare a combattere contro i saraceni. Chi dei due paladini si comporterà meglio sul campo di battaglia potrà avere Angelica. Seguono battaglie. Giunge la notte. I due eserciti battono la ritirata per continuare il giorno dopo.

nighttime arrives. The two armies back down to continue on the next day.

OPERA DEI PUPI / SICILIAN PUPPET THEATER

The Opera dei Pupi emerged at the beginning of the 19th century in Sicily and enjoyed great success among the working classes. The puppeteers performed stories based on French medieval epic literature and Italian Renaissance masterpieces, such as Orlando Innamorato by Boiardo and Orlando Furioso by Ariosto. While the aristocracy attended the Opera in beautiful 18th century theaters, common people enjoyed the Opera dei Pupi in different theatrical spaces within cities.

In the performances, puppeteers largely improvised the dialogues, interrupting the show at a crucial moment, thus extending the story into an indefinite number of episodes across many months. The audience would identify itself with heroes made of wood, copper alloy, and tin, siding alternatively with one character or the other, such as Orlando or Rinaldo.

People felt the same emotions and shared the same universal values of the puppets on stage. At that time it was reported spectators criticized the inequities committed by Charlemagne towards his paladins, or warned the knights against imminent danger. In another episode, an audience fell silent during the death of the paladins in the war of Roncisvalle, as if someone in their family had been murdered.

The Opera dei Pupi has come to us overcoming numerous crises and encountering the risk of disappearing multiple times. Fortunately, some of the puppeteers found new paths within and outside this centuries-old tradition, bringing the ancient stories of Orlando and Charlemagne’s paladins to a new audience in Italy, Europe, and around the world .

THE MASTER PUPPETEER MIMMO CUTICCHIO BETWEEN TRADITION AND INNOVATION

The most important figure in the preservation and renewal of the tradition of the Opera dei Pupi is Mimmo Cuticchio. Described as the last heir of this form of art, Mimmo Cuticchio is known in the whole world for his extraordinary intuition and capability to ‘restore’ this tradition. According to Mimmo: “Restoring is like translating; translating sometimes means betraying”, but it is precisely through that betrayal that he succeeded in remaining faithful to this unique theatrical tradition, by constantly renewing it.

Mimmo comes from a family of distinguished puppeteers. His father, Giacomo Cuticchio, opened his first theater in Palermo and became a puppeteer in 1943. Mimmo learned the traditional style of puppeteering as a young boy while working at his father's side.

In 1973 he left his father's theater and founded his own, where he could express his desire for artistic experimentation within the tradition. Mimmo is still working in his theatre with his son Giacomo, and continues to give new life to this unique genre.

In his words: “Tradition is like a river that sees water continuously flowing for thousands of years, but it is not always the same water. It is the water that comes from every trickle, from the snow that melts, and from the rain. It is a new water, every single day. Therefore, it is the river that is the tradition while the water is the life of the tradition”.