Libri: che spettacolo!

«Libri: che spettacolo!» began in Barcelona in 2018 from an idea by Rocco Papìa and Maria Antonietta de Vico. It offers animated readings with music in Italian, designed especially for libraries and children aged three to eight.

Books become performances through music, electronics, projections, sounding objects and unusual instruments. The stories encourage children to enjoy reading and reflect on diversity, respect for others and the richness of different cultures. The project shares the Italian language and children’s literature while creating opportunities for Italian and Catalan communities, and other interested families, to meet.

Each programme presents three books in one of two formats: a single 45-minute show or three 15-minute mini-performances, each devoted to one book and intended for small groups of six to ten children. Titles are selected with the organiser, and the necessary materials and permissions are requested from publishers.

Requirements include a suitable PA system, a projection screen, a projector with VGA input, and children’s chairs and low tables. The artist provides the stage and musical materials. Previous editions have involved the Italian Cultural Institute and Barcelona’s Jaume Fuster Library.