A vocal performance inspired by Medea immersed in the ancestral darkness, 70 meters below the surface of the evocative Caverna della Civetta. A unique experience that's both eco-friendly and accessible to the blind.
Castellana Grotte, December 10, 2015 – After its debut on November 25, which garnered widespread public and critical acclaim, MED-ea, the vocal performance inspired by Medea, the famous figure from Greek mythology, returns. On Sunday, December 13, it will once again be performed in the depths of the Castellana Caves thanks to ATC SottoSopra, led by President Sergio Carpinelli, who organized and promoted this touching and evocative show in collaboration with Grotte di Castellana Srl, the patronage of the Municipality of Castellana-Grotte, and media partner Gruppo Norba.
Reworked and adapted by Loredana Savino and Fabio Caruso, MED-ea can be described as an intense and overwhelming sensory experience where the viewer is completely immersed in a journey that fuses humanity and nature in a mutual interplay of shadows, lights, and sounds. A journey that is first physical, descending into the depths of Mother Earth, enveloped in the silence of ancestral darkness, then mental, thanks to the six voices that resonate hypnotically in a whirlwind of intense sensations performed by Marta Gadaleta, Antonella Lacasella, Cristina Lacirignola, Rosalba Santoro, Teresa Vallarella, and Loredana Savino.
"Stage and audience intertwine and merge in the unique and evocative setting of the Caverna della Civetta," emphasized Sergio Carpinelli, "which is reached after a fascinating journey through ancient stalactites and stalagmites illuminated by dim lights. The complete absence of technological equipment makes the experimental performance absolutely eco-friendly, and the unique setting, almost completely in darkness, also makes it accessible to the blind. For us at ATC SottoSopra, all of this translates into respect and protection for the underground site and the opportunity to experience our caves in an even more experiential way: re-establishing a truly intimate and rare connection with the essence and power of Nature."
Thanks to MED-ea, therefore, many important themes are touched upon: from respect for nature to accessibility, from the discomfort of discrimination, through violence, both physical and psychological, to emigration. Here's how Rosalia Chiarappa of Apulia Magazine describes the performance: "In the intersection of intense stories and dialogues, in almost total darkness, we sense the movements of bodies in constant tension toward the ultimate act of no return. But while in the first part the intense staging increases the anguish along with the empathetic participation in the protagonist's plight, the second part reconciles the spectator with their inner and outer world through the melodic sounds of a litany that resembles a lullaby, leading the audience to the end of the inevitable drama."
Directed and written by Loredana Savino and Fabio Caruso, with the collaboration of all the performers, and costumes by Donatella Scarati, the show lasts 50 minutes and is by reservation only, with limited seating. For info, call 340.7170766 or 347.6877728 or visit the website.
www.grottedicastellana.it or med-ea@libero.it
Serena Greco
Press Office and External Relations
Castellana Caves Srl
Cell. + 39 348 7649373
www.grottedicastellana.it
