Pippo Delbono (born 1 June 1959 in
Varazze
Varazze (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region of Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northeast of Savona in the Riviera di Ponente. Nearby in the Ligurian Apennines is the Monte Beigu ...
, Italy) is an Italian author, actor, and director.
Biography
Pippo Delbono began training in traditional theatre in
Denmark
Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
, studying the principles of oriental theatre, through a rigorous work on body and voice. Later, in
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, Delbono was invited by
Pina Bausch
Philippine "Pina" Bausch (27 July 1940 – 30 June 2009) was a German dancer and choreographer who was a significant contributor to a neo-expressionist dance tradition now known as . Bausch's approach was noted for a stylised blend of dance move ...
to follow her work. At the beginning of the 80's he founded the Compagnia Pippo Delbono, creating most of his works with them, from Il ''Tempo degli Assassini'' (1987) to ''La Gioia'' (2018).
He does not stage plays but, rather, total creations, devised with a stable group of actors whose number has grown through the years. The encounter with socially marginalized people determines a turning point in his poetical research: that's how ''Barboni'' (1997) was born. Some of these actors – among them
Bobò, deaf-mute, who had been kept in an asylum in Aversa, near Naples, for forty-five years and recently died – have kept working with the company and are still a central part of this experience.
The works that followed — ''La rabbia'' dedicated to
Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini (; 5 March 1922 – 2 November 1975) was an Italian poet, film director, writer, actor and playwright. He is considered one of the defining public intellectuals in 20th-century Italian history, influential both as an artist ...
, ''Guerra'', ''Esodo'', ''Gente di plastica'', ''Racconti di giugno'', ''Urlo'', ''Il silenzio'', ''Questo buio feroce'', ''La menzogna'', ''Dopo la battaglia'', ''Orchidee'', ''Vangelo'', ''La gioia'' — like the ones before, have been performed worldwide in more than fifty countries, in theaters and festivals, including the
Festival d'Avignon
The ''Festival d'Avignon'', or Avignon Festival (), is an annual arts festival held in the France, French city of Avignon every summer in July in the courtyard of the Palais des Papes as well as in other locations of the city. Founded in 1947 by ...
(where a lot of the company's creations were presented), Barcelona's Grec, Theater Spektakel in Zurich, Festwochen in Wien,
Festival TransAmeriques in Montreal,
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale ( ; ) is an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy. There are two main components of the festival, known as the Art Biennale () and the Venice Biennale of Architecture, Architecture Biennale (), ...
, etc.
In 2009, he was awarded the
Europe Prize Theatrical Realities, in
Wrocław
Wrocław is a city in southwestern Poland, and the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is the largest city and historical capital of the region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the Oder River in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Eu ...
.
Several theatres, including the
Théâtre du Rond-Point
The Théâtre du Rond-Point () is a theatre in Paris, located at 2bis avenue Franklin-D.-Roosevelt, 8th arrondissement.
History
The theatre began with an 1838 project of architect Jacques Ignace Hittorff for a rotunda in the Champs Elysees. I ...
in Paris,
Piccolo Teatro in
Milan
Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
,
Teatro Argentina
The Teatro Argentina (directly translating to "Theatre Argentina") is an opera house and theatre located in Largo di Torre Argentina, a square in Rome, Italy. One of the oldest theatres in Rome, it was constructed in 1731 and inaugurated on 31 ...
in
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
, among others, present regularly his performances.
Henry V Henry V may refer to:
People
* Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026)
* Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125)
* Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161)
* Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (–1227)
* Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (1216–1281 ...
— his only creation based on an existing play – is the only Italian production of
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
that has ever been invited to perform at the
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and opens around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, Stratf ...
. His production ''Vangelo'' (2016) has been realized at
Croatian National Theatre in
Zagreb
Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...
with actors of his company together with Croatian actors, dancers, musicians and chorus and with refugees of the PIAM refugee camp in
Asti
Asti ( , ; ; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) of 74,348 inhabitants (1–1–2021) located in the Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, about east of Turin, in the plain of the Tanaro, Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and ...
(
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
). The performance has two versions: Opera with chorus and orchestra, that premiered in Italy at Teatro Comunale in Bologna, and Drama version, that premiered at
Thèatre Vidy –
Lausanne
Lausanne ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest List of towns in Switzerland, city of the Swiss French-speaking Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Vaud, in Switzerland. It is a hilly city situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, about halfway bet ...
. The music of the performance are by
Enzo Avitabile
Vincenzo "Enzo" Avitabile (; born 1 March 1955) is an Italian saxophonist, composer and singer-songwriter. He plays a fusion of world music and jazz fusion music, rooted in Neapolitan traditions and language.
Career
Born in Naples, Italy, Avit ...
who won the Ubu Prize for them. His last theatre creation, ''La gioia'', premiered in March 2018 and has been presented at
Theatre Olympics in
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
and
Bhopal
Bhopal (; ISO 15919, ISO: Bhōpāl, ) is the capital (political), capital city of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of both Bhopal district and Bhopal division. It is known as the ''City of Lakes,'' due to ...
(
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
), at
Hong Kong Arts Festival
The Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF), launched in 1973, is an international arts festival held in Hong Kong. It covers all genres of the performing arts as well as a diverse range of educational events in February and March each year.
Histor ...
, in
Shizuoka
Shizuoka can refer to:
* Shizuoka Prefecture, a Japanese prefecture
* Shizuoka (city), the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture
* Shizuoka Airport
* Shizuoka Domain, the name from 1868 to 1871 for Sunpu Domain
was a feudal domain under the Tok ...
(
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
), in
Tunisia
Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...
,
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
,
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
. and it will be on tour in the theatrical season 2021/2022.
Europe Theatre Prize
In 2009, he was one of the recipients of the XI
Europe Prize Theatrical Realities. The prize organization described Delbono as a "poet of social marginalisation and diversity" and stated that he "has always seen art as a fundamental experience for overcoming desperation".
Theatre
Opera
* ''Studio per Obra Maestra'' at
Teatro Lirico Sperimentale
The Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto was founded in 1947 by Adriano Belli, lawyer and musicologist, with the aim of helping young singers to start a career in opera, above all students who had already completed their singing studies and were g ...
Spoleto
Spoleto (, also , , ; ) is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east-central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is south of Trevi, north of Terni, southeast of Perugia; southeast of Florence; and north of Rome.
H ...
(2007)
* ''
Cavalleria Rusticana
''Cavalleria rusticana'' (; ) is an opera in one act by Pietro Mascagni to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci, adapted from an 1880 Cavalleria rusticana (short story), short story of the same name and subsequent ...
'' by
Pietro Mascagni
Pietro Mascagni (7 December 1863 – 2 August 1945) was an Italian composer primarily known for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece '' Cavalleria rusticana'' caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the ...
at
Teatro di San Carlo
The Real Teatro di San Carlo ("Royal Theatre of Saint Charles"), as originally named by the Bourbon monarchy but today known simply as the Teatro (di) San Carlo, is a historic opera house in Naples, Italy, connected to the Royal Palace and ...
Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
(2012)
* ''
Don Giovanni
''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; full title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spanish legen ...
'' by
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...
at
Grand Theatre, Poznań (2014)
* ''
Madama Butterfly
''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa.
It is based on the short story " Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Lu ...
'' by
Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for List of compositions by Giacomo Puccini#Operas, his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he ...
at
Teatro di San Carlo
The Real Teatro di San Carlo ("Royal Theatre of Saint Charles"), as originally named by the Bourbon monarchy but today known simply as the Teatro (di) San Carlo, is a historic opera house in Naples, Italy, connected to the Royal Palace and ...
Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
(2014 and 2016)
* ''
St John Passion
The ''Passio secundum Joannem'' or ''St John Passion'' (), BWV 245, is a Passion or oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach, the earliest of the surviving Passions by Bach. It was written during his first year as director of church music in Leipzi ...
'' by
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...
at
Teatro Massimo
The Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele is an opera house and opera company located on the Piazza Verdi in Palermo, Sicily. It was dedicated to King Victor Emanuel II.
It is the biggest in Italy, and one of the largest of Europe (at the time of its ...
Palermo
Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...
* ''
Pagliacci
''Pagliacci'' (; literal translation, 'Clowns') is an Italian opera in a prologue and two acts, with music and libretto by Ruggero Leoncavallo. The opera tells the tale of Canio, actor and leader of a commedia dell'arte theatrical company, who mu ...
'' by
Ruggero Leoncavallo
Ruggero (or Ruggiero) Leoncavallo (23 April 18579 August 1919) was an Italian opera composer and librettist. Throughout his career, Leoncavallo produced numerous operas and songs but it is his 1892 opera ''Pagliacci'' that remained his lasting co ...
at
Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma (Rome Opera House) is an opera house in Rome, Italy. Originally opened in November 1880 as the 2,212 seat ''Costanzi Theatre'', it has undergone several changes of name as well modifications and improvements. The pres ...
(2018)
Awards
* 1997 – Premio Ubu
Special Prize for ''Barboni''
* 1998 – Italian Critic's Award
for ''Guerra''
* 2003 –
Le Maschere Awards
for ''Gente di Plastica''
* 2004 –
David di Donatello
The David di Donatello Awards, named after Donatello's ''David (Donatello, bronze), David'', a symbolic statue of the Italian Renaissance, are film awards given out each year by the ''Accademia del Cinema Italiano'' (the Academy of Italian Cin ...
Best Documentary for ''Guerra''
* 2005 –
Le Maschere Awards
for ''Urlo''
* 2009 –
Europe Theatre Prize
The Europe Theatre Prize ''(Premio Europa per il Teatro)'' is an award of the European Commission for a personality who has "contributed to the realisation of cultural events that promote understanding and the exchange of knowledge between peo ...
- Europe Prize Theatrical Realities
* 2010 – Festival international du court métrage de Clermont-Ferrand
Grand Prix Compétition Internationale for ''Blue Sofa''
* 2011 – Premio Ubu
Best Show for ''Dopo la Battaglia''
* 2012 – Premio Abbiati
* 2012 – Prix spécial du Jury SSR – Festival Vision du réél Nyon
for ''Amore e Carne''
* 2013 – Don Quijote Prize at
Locarno Festival
The Locarno International Film Festival is a major international film festival, held annually in Locarno, Switzerland. Founded in 1946, the festival screens films in various competitive and non-competitive sections, including feature-length narr ...
for ''Sangue''
* 2013 – Special Mention
Doclisboa
Doclisboa is a documentary film festival in Lisbon, Portugal which held its first edition in 2002.
Doclisboa is part of the Doc Alliance
The Doc Alliance is a creative partnership of seven European documentary film festivals, including: CPH:DO ...
for ''Sangue''
* 2014 – San Giò Video Festival
Best Movie for ''Sangue''
* 2016 – Festival del Cinema del Reale Award
Best Actors Pippo Delbono and Bobò
* 2016 – Grand Prix du Festival Doc en courts de
Lyon
Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
for ''La Visite''
* 2016 –
It's All True – International Documentary Film Festival
The It's All True – International Documentary Film Festival (), also known as É Tudo Verdade, is an international film festival held annually in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Launched in 1996 by Film criticism, film critic Amir Lab ...
São Paulo
São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
Best Short Film for ''La Visite''
Filmography
Director
* ''Guerra'' (2003)
* ''Grido'' (2006)
* ''Blue Sofa'' (2009) short film
* ''La paura'' (2009)
* ''Amore carne'' (2011)
* ''Sangue'' (2013)
* ''La Visite'' (2015)
* ''Vangelo'' (2016)
Actor
Exhibits
* ''Ma mère et les autres'',
La Maison Rouge
La Maison Rouge was a private contemporary art Foundation (nonprofit), Foundation dedicated mainly to showing private art collections, monographic shows of contemporary artists' work. It was located close to the Place de la Bastille, Bastille, in P ...
,
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
(2014)
* ''L’Esprit qui ment'',
Centre Pompidou
The Centre Pompidou (), more fully the (), also known as the Pompidou Centre in English and colloquially as Beaubourg, is a building complex in Paris, France. It was designed in the style of high-tech architecture by the architectural team of ...
,
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
(2018)
Concerts
* ''Amore e carne'', with
Alexander Balanescu (2011)
* ''Il sangue'', with Petra Magoni and Ilaria Fantin, inspired by
Sophocles
Sophocles ( 497/496 – winter 406/405 BC)Sommerstein (2002), p. 41. was an ancient Greek tragedian known as one of three from whom at least two plays have survived in full. His first plays were written later than, or contemporary with, those ...
's
Oedipus at Colonus
''Oedipus at Colonus'' (also ''Oedipus Coloneus''; , ''Oidipous epi Kolōnō'') is the second of the three Theban plays of the Athenian tragedian Sophocles. It was written shortly before Sophocles's death in 406 BC and produced by his grandson ...
(2013)
* ''La notte'', with Piero Corso, inspired by
Bernard-Marie Koltès
Bernard-Marie Koltès (; ; 9 April 1948 – 15 April 1989) was a French playwright and theatre director best known for his plays ''La Nuit juste avant les Forêts'' (''The Night Just Before the Forests'', 1976), ''Sallinger'' (1977) and ''Dans ...
's
La Nuit juste avant les forêts (2014)
* ''Bestemmia d'amore'', with
Enzo Avitabile
Vincenzo "Enzo" Avitabile (; born 1 March 1955) is an Italian saxophonist, composer and singer-songwriter. He plays a fusion of world music and jazz fusion music, rooted in Neapolitan traditions and language.
Career
Born in Naples, Italy, Avit ...
(2014)
Bibliography
* Ghiglione A., ''Barboni. Il teatro di Pippo Delbono'', Ubulibri, Milan, Italy 1999
* Delbono P., ''Pippo Delbono, mon théâtre'', Actes Sud, Arles, France 2004
* Delbono P., Pons H., ''Le Corps de l'acteur, six entretiens romains avec Hervé Pons'', Éditions Les Solitaires Intempestifs, Besançon, France, 2004
* Delbono P., ''El Teatro de la rabia'', Punto a parte, Murcia, Spain, 2005
* Delbono P., ''Racconti di giugno'', Garzanti, Milan, Italy, 2008
* Bentivoglio L., ''Pippo Delbono.Corpi senza menzogna'', Barbés, 2009
* Delbono P., ''Regards'', Actes Sud, Arles, France, 2010
* Bionda N., Gualdoni C., ''Visioni incrociate. Pippo Delbono tra cinema e teatro'' Titivillus, Corazzano, Italy, 2011
* Delbono P., ''Dopo la battaglia. Scritti poetico-politici'', Ed. Barbés, 2011
* De Martino A., Puppa p., Toninato P., ''Differences on stage'', Cambridge Scholar Publishing, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, 2013
* Pizzinant B., ''Pippo Delbono, le théâtre au temps des assassins'', Editions de l'Amandier, Paris, France, 2014
* Delbono P., ''Pier Paolo Pasolini. Urlare la verità'', Clichy, Florence, Italy, 2014
* Delbono P., Senzani G., ''Sangue. Dialogo tra un artista buddista e un ex terrorista tornato in libertà'', Clichy, Florence, Italy, 2014
* Delbono P., ''David Bowie. L'uomo che cadde sulla terra'', Clichy, Florence, Italy, 2016
* Manzella G., ''La possibilità della gioia'', Clichy, Florence, Italy, 2017
* Delbono P., ''Le don de soi'', Actes Sud, Arles, France, 2018
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Delbono, Pippo
Writers from Liguria
1959 births
Living people