The Brainland podcast began by exploring the historical background of our opera "Brainland". At the end of 2023 we filmed a scene from the opera, directed by Chaira D'Anna and choreography by Adrian Look, in collaboration with Morely College and the Old Operating Theatre Museum in London. The film was nominated in the best short film category at the Messina Cinema and Opera Festival in Sicily, in December 2024, and won the Special Jury Prize! Before the awards were announced artistic director, Ninni Panzera, agreed to sit down with Chiara and I and answer some questions about the festival. Chiara translated the answers, with a little help from AI, and co-librettist Andy Platman voiced the English version. Ninni tells us about his background as the long term director of the Taomina Arts Festival in Sicily and how his long history in the history of cinema and more recent interest in opera in cinema, lead him to create this festival. The conversation shifts from the influence of oepratic plots on cionema, especially in the silent era, to 1930s barber's shop calendars via the use of opera to tell products on adverts. He talks about the wide range of content in the festival including several Italian premiers, as well as several early films, including a 1913 silent film of Marriage of Figaro with a live chamber group.

Participants:

Ninni Panzera, Artistic Director of the Messina Cinema and Opera Festival.

Chiara D'Anna, director, actor, teacher and Commedia Dell'Arte specialist.https://www.chiaradanna.com/

Ken Barrett, artist and writer, retired neuropsychiatrist http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/

The festival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6mrH0ezmq0

Trailer for the Brainland the movie: https://vimeo.com/1032229461

Opening and closing music: Prelude to Brainland the opera by Stephen Brown.

Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk

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