MITIKA – Teatro e Mito nella contemporaneità 2026 opens the Armonie del Mediterraneo – Viaggi, Miti e Ritorni Festival

The Festival opens with MITIKA – Teatro e Mito nella contemporaneità, the theatrical programme curated by actress and director Carla Guido, launching the second edition of Armonie del Mediterraneo – Viaggi, Miti e Ritorni, taking place from 28 April to 7 June 2026.

Classical myth returns to the stage as a living, universal language—not as a simple recollection of the past, but as a lens through which to interpret the present. Across three performances, on 28 April, 17 May and 21 May, timeless figures such as Daedalus and Icarus, Agamemnon and Circe are reimagined through the questions, challenges and complexities of contemporary life.

MITIKA opens the Armonie in Scena programme

Now in its second edition, Armonie del Mediterraneo unfolds through three thematic strands—Armonie in Scena, Armonie in Dialogo and Armonie in Musica—which together create a single cultural journey celebrating the Mediterranean as both a physical and symbolic space of shared memories, diverse identities and future perspectives.

MITIKA opens the Armonie in Scena programme and represents its artistic core. Theatre, music and the spoken word come together in an immersive experience in which myth becomes a powerful means of reflecting on identity, human relationships, and individual and collective responsibility.

This spring edition continues an artistic journey developed over recent years and serves as the ideal prelude to the summer season, further establishing Lecce as a Euro-Mediterranean crossroads for theatrical innovation and intercultural dialogue.

Produced by Aletheia Teatro under the artistic direction of Carla Guido, the three productions bring legendary figures—Daedalus and Icarus, Agamemnon and Circe—back to the stage, transforming them into compelling reflections on identity, relationships, and individual and collective responsibility.

"Today, more than ever, we need the wisdom of the ancient world. Looking back at the past allows us to draw lessons for the future," says Carla Guido. "Myth is experience transformed into poetry, into the tragedy of human existence. It is indispensable in these increasingly frenetic times, which so often deprive us of the time we need to understand what is happening around us."

Programme

28 April – Dedalo e Icaro, oltre il volo

World première of the new play by Giovanna Bino, starring Toni Candeloro and Carla Guido, directed by Toni Candeloro. A powerful reinterpretation of the myth of Icarus as a metaphor for ambition, rebellion and the search for recognition.

17 May – Agamennone

Yannis Ritsos' acclaimed text is brought to the stage by Andrea Tidona and Carolina Vecchia, with voice-over by Alessandra Fallucchi, directed by Alessandro Machìa. A profound journey into the memory and conscience of a man marked forever by war.

21 May – Circe: le origini

Written by Alessandra Fallucchi and Marcella Favilla, performed by Alessandra Fallucchi and directed by Marcella Favilla, this production offers a contemporary female perspective on one of mythology's most compelling figures, tracing a journey of self-awareness and emancipation.

All performances are free of charge, subject to venue capacity.

Theatre opens: 8.30 p.m.
Curtain up: 9.00 p.m.

The Festival

Now in its second edition, Armonie del Mediterraneo – Viaggi, Miti e Ritorni is 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).

The Festival seeks to enhance the Euro-Mediterranean cultural heritage through contemporary artistic expression, contribute to the seasonal diversification of tourism, and strengthen Lecce's role as an international meeting place for cultures—a city where tradition, innovation and shared memory converge.

The Festival is delivered in partnership with the "Tito Schipa" Conservatory of Music, Lecce, Fondazione Treccani Cultura ETS, Aletheia Teatro, BandAdriatica, Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, and Quarta Agency, directed by Rosanna Quarta.