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With Emanuele Trevi e Valter Malosti
Live music: Andrea Cauduro
Free admission, subject to available seating.
PSICHE MEDITERRANEA is conceived as a compelling staged lecture in which literature, performance and live music come together to reveal the timeless power of the myth of Cupid and Psyche, often regarded as the most beautiful of all classical tales.
Far more than a simple love story, the myth unfolds as a profound reflection on the cosmos and the human spirit. It becomes a mirror of individual destiny, a journey through the passions of the soul, and a narrative that continues to resonate with the philosophical thought of the ancient world.
Emanuele Trevi, acclaimed writer, literary critic and winner of Italy's Premio Strega 2021, joins Valter Malosti—director, actor and visual artist—to bring the story of Cupid and Psyche vividly to life, revealing its enduring emotional and universal significance.
Although immortalised by Apuleius in The Golden Ass, the tale has its origins in a much older oral tradition that travelled westwards from the ancient East along the routes of the Mediterranean, evolving and being retold across generations and cultures.
The live score by Andrea Cauduro accompanies and enriches the narrative, creating an evocative soundscape that enters into dialogue with the spoken word, heightening its emotional resonance and drawing the audience into an immersive theatrical experience.
The staged readings give rhythm and dramatic presence to the performance, embodying its characters and restoring the full poetic and symbolic power of one of antiquity's most enduring myths.
The event forms part of FESTIVAL DEL MEDITERRANEO TRECCANI 2026, curated by Fondazione Treccani Cultura ETS, which presents in Lecce a programme of lectures, readings and performances dedicated to the Mediterranean as a living space of memory, shared heritage and future perspectives.
The programme also forms part of the wider Festival Treccani della lingua italiana, taking place in Lecce from 8 to 10 May 2026, establishing a rich cultural dialogue that places language, myth and storytelling at the heart of contemporary reflection.
The performance forms part of the programme of Armonie del Mediterraneo – Viaggi, Miti e Ritorni, conceived and promoted by the Euro-Mediterranean Cultural Heritage Agency, in collaboration with the Municipality of Lecce, with the support of the Italian Ministry of Tourism through the National Tourism Fund (FUNT) – 2025 Current Expenditure Programme (Project Code CUP F89I25002020001).
