Histoire du Soldat - IGOR STRAVINSKY

Stravinsky in Bari: “L’Histoire du soldat”—music, theater and dance at the International Mediterranean Piano Festival
Thursday, November 19, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. – Kursaal Santalucia Theatre, Bari

The 4th International Mediterranean Piano Festival presents one of the most original events in its program: on Thursday, November 19, at 8:00 p.m., Bari’s Kursaal Santalucia Theatre will host Igor Stravinsky’s “L’Histoire du soldat” (“The Soldier’s Tale”), a performance that brings together music, theater and dance, creating an artistic experience of great expressive intensity.

Composed in 1918, *L’Histoire du soldat* is one of the most innovative creations of twentieth-century music. In collaboration with Swiss writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz, Stravinsky created a modern theatrical fable in which musical language engages continuously with the spoken word and stage movement.

The story tells of a soldier who, while returning home, meets the Devil and agrees to exchange his violin for a book capable of predicting the future. A seemingly advantageous pact soon becomes a reflection on desire, wealth, happiness and the impossibility of possessing everything.

Behind the apparent simplicity of the narrative lies one of the deepest and most fascinating parables in twentieth-century musical theater: a timeless story in which the conflict between material aspirations and human values takes on a universal dimension.

Stravinsky’s music—characterized by driving rhythms, surprising contrasts and influences ranging from folk traditions to ragtime, tango and modern musical languages—accompanies the story with extraordinary theatrical force. It creates a sonic universe in which irony, unease and lightness coexist, making the work remarkably relevant even today.

The performance will bring together artists from different disciplines: Patrizia Labianca will be the narrator, Mimmo Insalata and Michela Franco will embody the choreographic dimension, while Modesto Picci will perform on piano.

The production is directed by Patrizia Labianca, with choreography by G. Colamartino.

The meeting of spoken word, music and movement will offer a staged interpretation of Stravinsky’s celebrated work, highlighting its narrative and theatrical dimensions through an accessible and engaging language.

The event is part of the fourth edition of the International Mediterranean Piano Festival, taking place from November 8 to 30, 2026, in Trani and Bari. Alongside major piano recitals and symphonic concerts, the festival presents artistic programs exploring the connections between music and other forms of expression.

With *L’Histoire du soldat*, the Festival invites audiences to discover a twentieth-century masterpiece in which music becomes storytelling, gesture becomes expression, and theater becomes a meditation on the human condition.

**INFORMATION AND TICKETS**

**Date:** Thursday, November 19, 2026
**Time:** 8:00 p.m.
**Venue:** Kursaal Santalucia Theatre – Bari
**Event:** Igor Stravinsky – *L’Histoire du soldat*
**Series:** 4th International Mediterranean Piano Festival – Piano, Theater and Dance

**Performers**

Patrizia Labianca – narrator
Mimmo Insalata – dancer
Michela Franco – dancer
Modesto Picci – piano

**Direction:** Patrizia Labianca
**Choreography:** G. Colamartino

**Tickets and subscriptions:**
www.diyticket.it
www.pianofestivalmediterraneo.com

**Information:**
+39 347 964 0366 | +39 346 829 6657 | +39 380 656 0557
Web: www.pianofestivalmediterran...