Italy's theatrical maestro Ferruccio Soleri has donned the costume of Harlequin (Arlecchino in Italian) more than 2000 times in the past 49 years and says it is the relationship with the audience that continues to move him.

“Every time I play Arlecchino it’s a new emotion."

Italy's theatrical maestro Ferruccio Soleri has donned the costume of Harlequin (Arlecchino in Italian) more than 2000 times in the past 49 years and says it is the relationship with the audience that continues to move him.

“Every time I play Arlecchino it’s a new emotion."

Ferruccio Soleri will perform in Auckland in October, a month before his 80th birthday.

So what continues to move his body?

“Thanks to a well balanced diet and to the work-out that I ask myself to do every day I don’t really feel all these years upon my back.”

Servant of Two Masters, written in 1745 by Carlo Goldoni, is an insight into the art of comedy – commedia dell'arte - the artistic forebear of modern-day comedy.

The art of comedy is a form of improvisional theatre dating from 15th Century Italy. Their central characters are 'zanni' - the forebears of modern-day clowns. Harlequin is the best-known of the zanni, and is recognisable even 500 years later by his mask and diamond-shaped patchwork costume. He is a wily trickster with a never-ending desire to fill both his pockets and his stomach, hence he becomes the servant of two masters.

The Auckland performance, from October 1-3 at the Aotea Centre, will be the first time the Italian company Piccolo Teatro di Milano has set foot on a New Zealand stage.  Directed by Giorgio StrepherIt, it features a cast of twenty, a half-dozen musicians and breathtaking masks and costumes.

What aspect of your creative practice gives you the biggest thrill?

The relationship with the audience. I confess that every time I play Arlecchino it’s a new emotion, and every time it’s something different. Especially when I’m improvising, something happens between me on stage and the audience in the stalls: it’s a direct relationship; a physical contact, I would say.  

The audience always respond to my provocation and jokes, for instance in the scene of the fly, or in that of the letter. Yes, this is the aspect of my work that moves me the most, after 49 years that I’ve been playing Arlecchino.

Which of your projects to date has given you the most satisfaction?

Arlecchino, without any doubt. But I would correct your question, if I may. The fact is that in my life, I have never made plans. I will explain. The character of Arlecchino has brought me to an exceptional result, unexpected as well. What I think is that If I had made plans I would have never achieved such a success.

If you could go back and choose a completely different career path to the one you've chosen, what would it be?

I would choose exactly the same path. Theatre has been and still is the reason of my life. I would have never expected such a big satisfaction.

To tell the truth when I was a boy I would have liked to become a pilot officer, or a soccer player, or a professor of Mathematics and Physics. Fortunately, it worked out differently.

What's great about today?

Three things I would say: family, health, and Arlecchino.

Family ties have always come first for me in life.

Speaking about my health – I will turn 80 on 6th November – it’s excellent; thanks to a well balanced diet and to the work-out that I ask myself to do every day I don’t really feel all these years upon my back.

About Arlecchino I have already told you everything: it is the highest achievement of my life.

What’s your big idea for 2009?

It’s this: taking our show to New Zealand. Arlecchino servitore di due padroni is a record holder. We’ve performed in 40 countries and in more than 200 cities, with more or less 2700 repeats and reaching almost 2 million spectators.

Auckland is the furthest destination Arlecchino has ever reached, as the ambassador of the Italian culture and theatre tradition. I am immensely proud of it.

* Ferruccio Soleri

Ferruccio Soleri was born in Florence, where he studied Mathematics and Physics at Florence University. In Rome he attended the Silvio D’Amico National Drama School. He started his theatre career in 1958 at Milan’s Piccolo Theatre in Pirandello’s The Favola del figlio cambiato. He has performed in plays by Pirandello, Goldoni, Lorca, Babel, Ibsen, Brecht, Schnitzler, Shakespeare, Goldoni, Molière, Marivaux, Gogol, Neruda and collaborated with directors like G. Strehler, P.Chereau, J. Huston, A. Vitez, M. Langhoff.

In 1963 he made his debut as Arlecchino in Giorgio Strehler’s production of Goldoni’s Servant of Two Masters. For European television he has performed in G.Friedel’s Mozart und Da ponte, C.Lizzani’s The Trap, G.Courteline’s Boubouroche. In 1971 he directed his first play; subsequently he staged Gozzi’s The Raven, Goldoni’s Mirandolina, The Venetian Twins, The Fan, Macchiavelli’s Mandragola, as well as operas, like Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, Rossini’s Barber of Seville, The Italian Woman in Tangiers, Signor Bruschino and Il turco in Italia, Paisiello’s Comic Duel, Pergolesi’s Livietta and Tracollo, Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail and La falsa giardiniera, Verdi’s Traviata, Weber’s Franco Cacciatore, Scarlatti’s Triumph of Love, Smetana’s Sold Bride, Galluppi’s Arcadia in Brenta, Strauss’s Night in Venice, Lehar’s, Merry Widow. He has directed shows in various cities including Salzburg, Paris, Karlsruhe, Zurich, Brussels, and many italian cities.

He has taught at drama academies around the world, such as the Otto Falckemberg Schule in Munich, Maurice Bejart’s MUDRA academy in Brussels, the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Vienna, Santa Clara University in the USA.

He has run workshops on Commedia dell’Arte in Europe, America and Japan. He currently teaches at the Piccolo Theatre’s Drama Academy.

In 2001 he won the Golden Mask, during the Festival of Performing Arts in Moscow. In 2005 he got the Golden Medal from the Italia Republic for his work in Arts and Culture. In 2006 he won the Leone d’Oro del Teatro at Festival La Biennale, in Venice. In 2007 has been nominated Unicef Ambassador.

In January 2005 Soleri celebrated his 50th year as an actor, having worn Arlecchino’s costume more than 2000 times in more than 40 countries. In 2006 he was awarded the "Leone d'oro" at the "La Biennale di Venezia" in theatre section and in 2007 has been nominated Unicef Goodwill Ambassador.

Harlequin: Servant of Two Masters

ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre THE EDGE®
Thursday 1 October, 7pm
Friday 2 October, 7pm (*note: Enrico Bonavera will play the role of Harlequin on 2 Oct, Ferruccio Soleri plays on the other days)
Saturday 3 October, 7pm