With Mittelfest, the journey between taboos and wonders begins in Cividale.

0

The festival that aims to break our taboos with a marathon of events and diverse artistic languages has kicked off in Cividale del Friuli. The 34th edition of Mittelfest has kicked off, promising ten days of art, reflection, and entertainment under the ever-timely theme of "Taboos." Cividale is once again transforming into the beating heart of European culture, hosting 29 artistic projects from 15 different countries.

Already yesterday, the festival began to strike a chord with the deepest souls. The evening preview saw the Church of San Francesco host "Brunner's Long Shadow," the story of one of the most wanted Nazi criminals told through the voices of those who lived through that horror. A powerful opening, it immediately made clear the intent of artistic director Giacomo Pedini: to explore the boundary between the permitted and the forbidden, breaking down the barriers that often prevent us from facing a traumatic present. The evening then exploded into music and magic with "Cartoon Night" in Piazza Duomo, a concert for the whole family that immersed spectators in the enchanting atmosphere of Disney fairy tales, thanks to the voice of Tosca, a seventy-voice children's choir, and the FVG Orchestra, all accompanied by evocative light displays. Meanwhile, Galleria Spazio Cortequattro has opened its doors to the exhibition “Totem and Taboo,” a visual journey through the works of three important Friulian artists—Gaetano Bodanza, Ulderica Da Pozzo, and Roberto Kusterle—who explore the many facets of the forbidden.

And after today's opening ceremony, scheduled for 7:00 PM in the Church of San Francesco, all eyes will be on the first Sunday of the festival, which tomorrow afternoon will feature legendary pianist Ivo Pogorelich with his recital, a profound and intimate engagement with sound and silence that promises to be an unconventional experience. The day will conclude on a high note with the 2025 Adelaide Ristori Prize, awarded to Ema Andrea, and a grand finale in Piazza Duomo with "The Kreutzer Sonata," an intense dialogue between music and literature led by Gioele Dix, who will take the audience on a journey into the shadowy areas of the human soul.