Manama: An Italian director and choreographer said that he was so impressed with his audience in Doha that he is keen on presenting a show during the World Cup 2022 to be staged by Qatar.
"I have noticed that the audience here sits through the entire show, which is something that a director looks for," Gino Landi said. "And, it is this seriousness of the audience that matters most to me," Landi said in Qatar where he is presenting his ballet titled ‘Secrets of the Sea' at the ongoing Qatar Marine Festival 2011.
Commenting on how the idea of producing a ballet on Qatar's marine heritage occurred to him, Landi said that Shaikha Moza watched one of his biggest shows held on a 17th century stage in Venice some years ago.
"She was quite impressed and expressed her desire to involve me in an artistic venture in Qatar. I came to Doha last year at the invitation of the Qatar Marine Festival Organising Committee and stayed for four days in the city," he said, quoted by Qatar Tribune. "I have studied Doha and its culture, its characteristic mysticism, over a period of time to be able to give them a theatrical expression in the Secrets of the Sea," he said.
Making Qatari and Italian artistes understand each other's culture to be able to retain the spirit of the ballet proved to be a big challenge, but Landi said that he and his Italian and Qatari associates, especially Qatari composer Faisal Tamimi, succeeded in accomplishing the task.
"Besides, there was some delay in the arrival of materials form Italy for constructing the stage. Fusing the western and eastern elements in the ballet in a harmonious way was another major challenge that tested our skills," Landi said.
According to the director, "there are many surprise elements in the ballet."
"It is totally unconventional with new theatrical devices and the blending of the elements of the Arab and European theatres." ‘Secrets of the Sea' traces Qatar's marine life right from the Bedouin days to life after the discovery of oil and gas," he said.
Landi's forthcoming work is a TV production titled ‘Pippo Baudo', which tells the history of television and marks the celebration of 150 years of Italian unification, the daily reported.
