Together with Giacomo Poretti and the friends at Teatro Oscar, we share a deep love for our community and the territory. This is why we decided to support “Cantiere Odissea – A Theatrical Journey through Municipio 4,” a festival that took place from June 25 to July 25 in unconventional locations across Milan.
This exciting adventure led us to explore the human spirit and discover a lesser-known side of Milan. The festival opened on June 25 at the Ex-Macello with Giacomo Poretti and concluded on July 25, also at the Ex-Macello, with Gioele Dix. The program featured seven theatrical episodes inspired by Homer’s Odyssey, along with four concerts organized in collaboration with the Conservatory of Milan, with whom Teatro Oscar has developed a strong partnership, especially in view of the upcoming opening of the Rogoredo campus.
The festival emerged from an intense engagement with the local area, involving various associations such as Associazione Nocetum and Cooperativa La Strada. A key role was played by Angela Demattè, actress and playwright, who coordinated the authors in creating seven stories inspired by the complex reality of Municipio 4. These stories, named after mythological figures like The Mother of Ulysses, Circe, Argos, The Nurse, Telemachus, Penelope, and The Sirens, painted a unique picture of the local community.
Municipio 4 is a multifaceted area that stretches from the city center to the southeastern outskirts and parks. It’s a true urban ‘archipelago’ where situations of marginalization coexist alongside ambitious development and innovation projects, often separated only by a road or railway line.
The “Cantiere Odissea” festival aimed to tell the stories of these fragments of a community that, although seemingly destined for parallel lives, finds new ways to connect and unite through the magic of theater and the vision of Teatro Oscar.