For one special night, El Samer Theatre in Agouza turned into more than just a performance venue. It became a space for reflection and inner peace.
The Italian dance troupe Artemis Danza, under the direction of choreographer Monica Casadei, presented Laudato Sie, mi’ Signore, offering the Egyptian audience a beautiful blend of spirituality and art.
The performance was organized by the Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre (CIFET) in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo.
It was created to mark the 800th anniversary of The Canticle of the Creatures, a famous poetic text by Saint Francis of Assisi, considered one of the earliest literary works written in the Italian language.
Through dance and choreography, Monica Casadei brought the ancient text to life, encouraging the audience to think deeply about their relationship with nature and the spiritual side of human life.
What made the performance stand out was how successfully it transformed a text written centuries ago into a living, moving experience, using music and dance.
The dancers moved together in harmony, creating a strong sense of unity through their collective movements.
Live music played a major role in the show. Violinist Marcello Corvino and oudplayer Fabio Tricomi performed together, blending European classical music with Mediterranean sounds and creating a beautiful cultural dialogue.
The live music gave the performance a warm, natural feel.
Actor Savino Paparella’s narration of Saint Francis’s words added depth to the spiritual message and blended smoothly with the rhythm of the performance.
This event is part of a series of activities organized by CIFET outside its main festival dates.
The 33rd CIFET (scheduled for September 1–8) will include several pre-festival events, for the first time.
One example is a month-long workshop on Commedia dell’Arte led by Italian artist Alessio Nardin, which will take place in August.
