Parma EYC2027

'The Duke of Parma: Fernando Pessoa's Unpublished Play' As part of the programme of activities planned for Parma European Youth Capital 2027, the project 'The Duke of Parma: Fernando Pessoa's Unpublished Play', aims to adapt and stage the play The Duke of Parma, a five-act drama inspired by Shakespeare and written in Elizabethan English by Fernando Pessoa (1888–1935). Pessoa is widely regarded as one of the most significant authors of 20th-century European literature. This unpublished work has been preserved through a series of manuscripts held in the Pessoa Collection at the National Library of Portugal. Drawing on these materials, the project aims to produce a dramatic adaptation that remains consistent with and faithful to the original text, presenting it to both academic and non-academic audiences. This text has great historical and literary value but is virtually unknown today. The adaptation adheres to the author's dramaturgical guidelines, integrating them with the critical and creative work of specialists in Pessoa's work, Portuguese literature, and dramaturgy. The aim is to construct a coherent and performable text.

The project benefits from the collaboration of Prof. Enrico Martines and Dr Carlotta Defenu, who are both members of the University of Parma's DUSIC department and are engaged in a research project on the digital edition and study of The Duke of Parma. The project also benefits from the involvement of the international theatre company Correto, which is composed of young professionals who have received specific training in dramaturgy and theatre history. The project also involves students from the LM39 Master's programme, who will organise specific work placements aimed at translating the play's script from English into Italian and creating the surtitles to be projected during the performance. Through the rediscovery of an unpublished work by one of the most important European authors of the twentieth century, closely linked to the city through its setting and historical references, the project aims to promote the cultural heritage of the city of Parma. This initiative will promote cultural activities of international and intergenerational scope, strengthening the dialogue between academic research and cultural dissemination and making a work of significant literary merit, which is virtually unknown today, accessible to a broad audience.

This work addresses intense and relevant themes such as madness and sexuality. Due to Fernando Pessoa’s international renown and the exceptional nature of the project, it will have a significant impact on the local community and help strengthen Parma’s image as a city that cares about young people and culture and promotes its heritage.

The focal square within the eight squares that make up the Parma EYC2027 programme is Piazza della Bellezza (Beauty Square), where talent is promoted and issues of access to cultural, musical, and artistic opportunities are addressed. The project fully aligns with the objectives of the Piazza della Bellezza, which is to promote the enhancement of Parma's cultural and historical heritage through high-profile artistic activities. Staging the opera will help to rediscover and revitalise cultural venues in the area, fostering the dissemination of a cultural programme deeply rooted in the city’s history and stimulating intergenerational interest in its artistic and European literary heritage.

Timetable

Phase 1: Dramatic adaptation of the text (July–September 2026)
- Research and selection of manuscripts
- Identification and analysis of Fernando Pessoa’s primary sources
- Organisation and philological study of the manuscripts using chronological, thematic and dramaturgical criteria
- Dramaturgical and theatrical adaptation
- Revision of the text for the contemporary stage
- Final revision and distribution of the script
- Editing and handover to the artistic team

Phase 2: Production (September–December 2026)
- Theatre rehearsals and development of direction
- Work on text, stage space and acting dynamics
- Set design
- Definition of sets, costumes and visual setting
- Technical design of lighting and sound
- Lighting design, soundscape and audio-visual system
- Translation and subtitling by UNIPR students on the Language Sciences and Cultural Studies for Special Needs (LM39) course
- Technical and artistic integration rehearsals with integrated lighting, sound and subtitles

Phase 3: Communication and promotion (December 2026 – January 2027)
- Production of graphic material: posters, playbills, flyers and digital content
- Social media communication strategy: Instagram, Facebook and cultural newsletters
- Promotion via digital channels and cultural networks: local press, radio and cultural event websites
- Coordination with Teatro Lenz for promotion: co-promotion and inclusion in the official programme

Phase 4: Staging (7–13 February 2027)
- Technical set-up of the show: 7–9 February 2027 (set construction and technical rehearsals)
- Dress rehearsals: 10–11 February 2027
- First performance: 12 February 2027 — Teatro Lenz
- Second performance: 13 February 2027 — Lenz Theatre
- Post-performance discussion with the audience: 13 February 2027 (open meeting with the artistic team after the performance)

Venues
Lenz Theatre — Via Pasubio, 3/e, 43122 Parma PR, Italy
lenzfondazione.it