Art Scenes – Theatre Experience: The Piccolomini Castle of Celano and Alba Fucens
by Marianna D’Ovidio
There are places that are not just visited but lived. The Piccolomini Castle of Celano, in the province of L’Aquila, and the archaeological site of Alba Fucens in the municipality of Massa d’Albe (AQ) are not just simple backdrops; they are treasures of memory, architecture, and landscapes that speak to the soul.
It is in the magnificent setting of the Piccolomini Castle that the second edition of Scenari d’Arte – theatre experience was launched, a cultural initiative created by the Lanciavicchio Theatre in collaboration with the Regional Directorate of Museums of Abruzzo and the Piccolomini Castle of Celano and its Director Marina Nuovo. This initiative enhances the local historical heritage through Historytrekking itineraries. The project combines dramaturgy and cultural heritage, creating virtuous entertainment paths that both entertain and educate people about the place.
Celano, with its castle that originally served as a medieval fortress, transformed over the centuries by the families who lived there into a residence and completed in the Renaissance period, dominates the Fucino Valley, offering a view that is breathtaking in every season. Its walls tell centuries of events, art, and power. Walking through the halls of the Piccolomini Castle is like flipping through an illustrated history book, with the advantage of having an authentic, pristine landscape all around, that smells of Abruzzo.
The raw material for the performances of the Lanciavicchio Theatre is precisely the territory itself, with its history, anecdotes, and stories. The stage, in addition to the Piccolomini Castle of Celano, also features the ancient city of Alba Fucens, located just a few kilometers from Avezzano, which preserves the remains of a Roman colony: a perfectly preserved amphitheater, paved streets, temples, and cyclopean walls that blend with the wild nature and the silence of the mountains. Here, time seems to have stopped, leaving space for wonder.
For the 2025 edition, the Lanciavicchio Theatre will offer new performances while also revisiting the pieces from the previous year. The quality of the project is evidenced by the recognition from the Ministry of Culture, which ranked theatre experience as the second-best proposal for performances in art locations.
The theatre company secured second place in the Ministry’s call for proposals that promotes theatrical performances in historical spaces.
The performances are inspired by the local history, based on the concept of dramaturgy of the place. This methodology, developed by the Lanciavicchio Theatre, involves the dramaturgical reworking of historical events, presented to the public in an engaging and captivating way. The project intertwines various professional roles, from artists and cultural operators to musicians, actors, archaeologists, and tour guides.
Thus, in Il Principe (The Prince), the significant figure of Prince Alessandro Torlonia comes to life. He was the historical figure who financed the draining of Lake Fucino at the end of the 19th century. Lake Fucino, once considered the third largest lake in Italy, had already been considered unstable in Roman times. The lakeside populations often had to face fluctuations in the shoreline, which would typically increase during periods of heavy rain.
The draining of the lake was completed in 52 AD, with Emperor Claudius laying the foundations for one of the most important hydraulic engineering projects of antiquity. However, in the following centuries, due to the collapse of the empire and the lack of maintenance of the drainage system, the body of water reformed. It was up to Alessandro Torlonia, the protagonist of the play, to take up the ambitious plan of his predecessor. “Either Torlonia drains the lake, or the lake drains Torlonia”—this phrase marked one of the most significant works after the unification of Italy. The Lanciavicchio Theatre’s play continues to explore the struggles of peasants, important conflicts against the prince’s oppression, beautifully described by Ignazio Silone (a fellow Marsican) in the novel Fontamara.
The Latin colony of Alba Fucens serves as the backdrop for the story told in Memorytracks – Eulogy of the Stonecutter. The city’s walls are once again inhabited by actors who bring the millennia-old stories of the colonists to light, animating inscriptions and stones. Based on inscriptions discovered by archaeologists, the gravestones inspire stories of daily life, grand events, and personal anecdotes: a historical memory that belongs to the past but is revived by the voices of the performers. Through thorough bibliographic research on relics and documents, the lives of emperors, freedmen, and craftsmen are narrated by the performers. Founded in 303 BC by the Equi people, Alba Fucens is an extraordinary city where the life at the empire’s frontier is intertwined in a monumental fabric of great value. The basilica, baths, amphitheater, domus, tabernae, and forums are examples of Roman grandeur brought to distant places far from Rome.
The Piccolomini Castle of Celano also returns to the stage in Covella, the Last Countess: The Story of a Woman and a Castle. Surrounded by the architectural defenses of the residence that hosted the famous ruler, the actors’ voices restore the magic of palace intrigues, political machinations, plots, and conspiracies that marked the life of the last descendant of the Counts of Celano. Covella, a three-time bride, is at the center of an unprecedented dramaturgical recreation, based on the careful reading of Veneranda Rubeo’s text Covella, Countess of Celano: On the History of a Noblewoman in 15th Century Marsica.
An original text that blends family events, political happenings, and papal interests regarding one of the most important families of the Kingdom of Naples, guardians of a strategic holding on the border with the Papal States. The Celano Castle, a defensive fortress built in 1392 by the Berardi Counts, underwent several expansions over time, including one in the mid-15th century that saw the construction of the noble floor and towers. Externally, the keep is protected by walls and a moat, and the access is still through the drawbridge. The castle suffered severe damage during the 1915 earthquake and currently hosts the Museum of Sacred Art of Marsica and the Torlonia Collection and Antiquities of Fucino. It is a gem of Abruzzo military architecture, and it is here that many of the theatrical performances take place.
The Lanciavicchio Theatre is a theatre company founded in 1979, composed of directors, actors, artists, and technicians from various backgrounds. The ensemble is involved in projects aimed at enhancing the territory through innovative entertainment practices. Culture and theatre merge in scenic productions that engage a wide range of professionals. Stefania Evandro and Antonio Silvagni ensure that the company has a dynamic artistic direction.
An opportunity to visit these places, whether you come for the event or simply to breathe in a different air. Here, you will find the quiet strength of history and the raw, captivating beauty of the truest Abruzzo.
Photo Credits: Teatro Lanciavicchio, Carmine De Ieso, Silvia D’Ovidio, Stefania Evandro
Giornalista detentore dal 2015 del Guinness World Records TV e Ambasciatore Borghi più Belli d’Italia.
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