ERT - Emilia Romagna Teatro Fondazione

Since 2001, the Bonci Theatre has joined Emilia Romagna Teatro Fondazione (ERT), and, with the Ministerial Decree of July 1st 2014, it has been recognized as National Theatre of public interest.

The stunning historical building of the Bonci Theatre has hosted, over the years, some of the most important artists of the national and international theatre, combining the love for classics to the boldest experimentations that the theatrical form could imagine.

Thanks to a constant collaboration with the “Bruno Maderna” Conservatory and, in two occasions with the Peking Opera, concerts and operas by great performers, as well as classics and contemporary realizations, have studded the Bonci's billboard with a journey in the golden age of music.

Paolo Fresu, Omar Sosa, insieme a Goran Bregovic, Uri Caine, Ramin Bahrami, Danilo Rea, Noa, Mario Brunello, are just a few of the prestigious names that appeared in the recent seasons.

The duo, composed by Paolo Fresu and Omar Sosa, is one of the most known and loved teams, both nationally and internationally speaking. Capable of creating sounds and concepts between oceans and continents with original compositions that translate into a fun, romantic, deep and technically impeccable performance.

In the theatre program there is no lack of ballet and suggestive visual performances: the Bonci has hosted important companies such as the Ballet of Rome...

...or the “Aterballetto” company, which now is also a place for research, spreading art and ballet all over the world.

The Bonci Theatre has also hosted innovative and spectacular shows like “Tristi Tropici”, by Virgilio Sieni's coreography, one of the main characters of contemporary ballet, both Italian and international.

The curtain of the Bonci Theatre has opened on real masterpieces of plays from the latest years, such as Pirandello's “Così è (se vi pare)” conducted by Massimo Castri; or “Anna Karenina”, signed by the great Lithuanian director Eimuntas Nekrosius or “Molly Sweeney” conducted by Andrea De Rosa.

Important artists such as Franco Branciaroli, Mariangela Melato, Alessandro Gassmann...

...Ottavia Piccolo, Luigi Lo Cascio, Alessandro Bergonzoni: these are are just a few of the artists that have exhibited on the Bonci's stage.

Ottavia Piccolo with the Multiethnic Orchestra of Arezzo during the performance of “Occident Express”, written by Stefano Massini.

Among the most important companies of the Italian theatrical scene, many were born in Romagna. The Bonci's billboard has opened the doors to these research groups of experimental theatre, now internationally renowned, showing the genius loci present in a free and unrestrained art as theatre is.

A few examples might be Teatro Valdoca, such as: Caino, Lo spazio della quiete, Giuramenti...

…or the ones from Societas, like: La Nuova Vita; Fiabe Giapponesi; Poco lontano da qui e Giudizio Possibilità Essere...

…or once again the shows of Teatro delle Albe, like: Va’ Pensiero, Lùs o Pantani.

ERT, the artistic direction, has invested in the bonding with affirmed artists such as Antonio Latella ("Un tram che si chiama desiderio" by Tennessee Williams, or "Pinocchio" by Carlo Collodi).

Another show brought to scene is “The working class goes to heaven”, directed by Claudio Longhi (and based on the homonymous movie by Elio Petri). The show originated to represent the world of the working class and, after its release, it started a harsh debate within the Italian Left, questioning its ideological identity and its actual ability of representation of the working class.

ERT has cooperated with the multi-awarded British director Matthew Lenton who, with Italian actors, created a show based on the George Orwell novel “1984”. Starting from an investigation on truth and the diverse forms of though control, in his “1984”, Lenton, highlights how Orwell can still be current, today more than ever, asking himself how unlikely would it be that the authorities control us in a world that is constantly monitored.

Giving a strong support to young and promising artists is one of the main goals to which ERT aspires.Among the others who have tread the boards at the Bonci's Theatre, there also are: Lisa Ferlazzo Natoli/lacasadargilla (When the Rain Stops Falling di Andrew Bovell), Marta Cuscunà (Earthbound), Michele Di Giacomo (Io sono mia moglie di Doug Wright).

Over time, ERT's mission has divided into two main directions, with particular attention on producing innovative shows, both Italian and foreign, and with creating a tight contact with the community through participatory projects. In 2019, in collaboration with Consorzio Romagna Iniziative, the project Teatro Volante came to life, engaging ten schools of different grades, while in the autumn of 2020 another participatory project was launched, Ricordo al futuro, investigating Cesena through tales/stories from past to present, toward intergenerational map.

Waiting for more favorable times, ERT is continuing its journey by experimenting new means of production, study and cultural divulgation, bringing the theatre “outside the walls” and into everyone’s thoughts, collectively. The Bonci Theatre is the place that best embraces this mission.