What a waste to relegate it to a "brick" to be faced in school. With passions, abuses, plot twists, wars, and surprising characters, Alessandro Manzoni's "The Betrothed" is above all a great, eternal story. Today it lives again on stage in "Questo matrimonio non s'ha da fare," a melodrama for narrator and piano that sees actor Ettore Bassi, born in Bari 56, bring to life a literary masterpiece, accompanied by original music by pianist and composer Marco Beretta, and directed by Alberto Oliva. The show is part of the 2026-2027 prose season of CeDAC Sardegna and comes to the island with five performances: tonight at the Teatro Centrale in Carbonia, tomorrow at the Teatro Comunale Akinu Congia in Sanluri, on October 23rd at the Teatro Tonio Dei in Lanusei, on October 24th at the Teatro San Bartolomeo in Meana Sardo, and closing on October 25th at the Teatro Civico Gavì Ballero in Alghero.
Ettore Bassi, how relevant is Renzo and Lucia's adventures?
Everything. The bullying, the abuse, the desire of two young people to be masters of their own future, even the tragic scenario of the Milanese plague of 1630 overlaps with the shocking one of Covid. "The Betrothed" is a true fiction: it doesn't transport your imagination to who knows where, it confronts you with a disconcerting current situation.
How does your work as a performer change when your voice interacts with the piano?
The marriage of literature and music is a stimulus that requires adaptation and commitment. The music, specially composed, brings out a hidden rhythm, underscoring and anticipating, while my voice confirms. A dialogue in which the audience immerses themselves with their imagination, through suggestions that restore the color of the story.
Is there a Manzonian character you're particularly fond of?
It's a fresco of humanity that makes them all interesting, because Manzoni always manages to bring out unique nuances. Even in the story of Don Rodrigo, who is certainly not a sympathetic character, there are nuances that make you understand him. I feel sympathy for Don Abbondio, his willingness to take a stand, to take risks, and to oppose arrogance is something rare that deserves to be defended.
