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The Teatro di Roma returns to the Roman Theater of Ostia, restoring to the public its majestic vocation as an open-air stage and a meeting place for cultures and ancient stories. The first edition of the Teatro Ostia Antica Festival – The Meaning of the Past is born, which from June 23 to July 26 will transform this iconic place into a crossroads of art and thought, in dialogue between classical and contemporary works.
After decades since its last summer season, which ended in the late 1990s, the Teatro di Roma will revive one of the most evocative historical sites, offering a unique cultural experience that reconnects with the classical tradition of theater and returns to the epic roots of the relationship between audience and stage.
A return to origins takes shape as a contemporary reimagining of universal themes—reflections on humanity, justice, moral law—through an internationally outstanding program offering five unique performances by five visionary artists, all centered around the timeless myth of Antigone. A journey ranging from the evocative power of prose to the explosive force of music and dance, where the echo of the classics blends with the energy of the contemporary, unfolding across three prestigious venues in the city: the Roman Theater of Ostia, the festival’s beating heart; the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone; and the Teatro Argentina.
Weaving this vision together is a mosaic of masters and creators from the national and international scene, supported by the talent of renowned performers and interpreters: Maestro Francesco Lanzillotta, one of the most acclaimed conductors of his generation, opens the festival with Antigone by Mendelssohn at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, a rarely performed masterpiece, last heard at Santa Cecilia in 1986. This performance will feature the Orchestra and Male Choir of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, with the narrating voices of Massimo Popolizio and Sandra Toffolatti.
The artistic director of Teatro di Roma, Luca De Fusco, an experienced director and fine craftsman of classics in dialogue with our time, stages Oedipus Rex at the Roman Theater of Ostia, featuring a duo rich in human nuance, Luca Lazzareschi and Manuela Mandracchia.
The unmistakable explorer of contemporary theater, Roberto Latini, performing alongside Manuela Kustermann, presents Antigone by Jean Anouilh, powerfully reinterpreting its myth.
Visionary Norwegian choreographer Alan Lucien Øyen, a pioneer in reinventing stage language, debuts worldwide at Teatro Argentina with Antigone, a symphony of dance and words performed by his company winter guests, joined by acclaimed dancers from Pina Bausch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal and Antonin Monié of the Paris Opera.
Finally, Eva Romero, a director known for her ability to transform present-day wounds into mythical narratives with a sensitive and profound gaze, closes the festival with Iphigenia by Silvia Zarco at the Roman Theater of Ostia.
Together, the works and artists will bring to life the Teatro Ostia Antica Festival. The Meaning of the Past, which is not only the title of this first edition, but also an invitation to rediscover the timeless value of the classics. Through the figure of Antigone, a symbol of rebellion and justice, the festival seeks to build a bridge between different eras, encouraging deep reflection on the role of art in society. It’s a reinterpretation of the classics with a contemporary and multidisciplinary lens, exploring our past, questioning our present, and imagining a future where art is a shared, free, and accessible heritage, capable of making us more aware and humane.
Thus, Ostia Antica becomes an international stage for culture.
This is made possible thanks to the support of the Region of Lazio and the City of Rome, who strongly support the Teatro di Roma in realizing this cultural endeavor that celebrates theater and projects art beyond national and regional boundaries. The contribution of the Region of Lazio enhances the artistic quality of the program, aimed at promoting a site of inestimable historical value; and the support of the City of Rome, on the occasion of the Jubilee 2025, amplifies the versatility of an innovative and inclusive program designed to welcome the diverse audiences gathering in the capital.
In keeping with the spirit of dialogue and institutional collaboration that animates the festival, the meeting of the site’s archaeological heritage and theatrical art is made possible by the synergy between the Teatro di Roma and the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica, directed by Alessandro D’Alessio, a partnership that serves a renewed experience of cultural spaces, making them more accessible and fostering local growth. In this context, the Teatro di Roma joins the artistic offering of the already existing event titled “Ostia Antica Festival,” curated by Bass Culture srl and Vincenzo Bellini, in a synergistic and reciprocal exchange that honors art in all its forms.
The festival also stands out for creating new alliances with national and international artistic excellence, reinforcing its artistic commitment and enriching its vision. Two strategic partnerships characterize this edition: the collaboration with the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in the opening prologue conducted by Maestro Lanzillotta, and the international connection with the Festival of Mérida, the oldest classical theater festival in Spain, which broadens the performative and innovative scope of the Teatro di Roma.
Thus, the Roman Theater of Ostia prepares to once again take center stage during the summer with an internationally-minded festival that will illuminate this millennia-old setting, offering a unique artistic experience that aims not to be a one-time event, but the beginning of a lasting and annual tradition, to continue celebrating the historical and artistic richness of our heritage and affirming the role of the Teatro di Roma as a leading cultural institution.
The 2025 edition is supported by Enel.