The Teatro Valle reopens amid controversy. End of the truce between Gualtieri and FdI

Rome. Art may be an antidote to war, perhaps, but not at the Teatro Valle. For four long years, it had maintained the truce between Fratelli d’Italia and Roberto Gualtieri’s administration. Four years of collaboration (and cordial Roman spirit) until recent months. That was when the controversies over the ‘Piano Casa’ and the ‘Roma Capitale’ bill began. Gualtieri had then lashed out – marking the end of the ‘Pax Meloniana’ – until, yesterday, the Roman Fratelli themselves turned against the mayor. The mayor, together with the theatre, ‘has officially launched his election campaign’.

Roberto Gualtieri was therefore supposed to be the unifying figure of the centre-left. The so-called ‘third man’. But judging by the way he has reopened the Valle – a development of immense importance in itself – he appears, once again, to have his sights set on Rome.

“It’s a day of celebration,” said the mayor at a press conference to present the works which, after fifteen years of inactivity, almost four years of occupation and a full twelve years of renovation, have finally been completed. “This heals a wound for culture.” He added: “It reopens more beautiful than ever.” And then: “Pirandello is finally back” (Gualtieri’s Pirandello is none other than Francesco Piccolo: La Repubblica’s leading intellectual, who yesterday opened the event with a monologue on Sei personaggi in cerca d’autore).

Joyful statements, then. And predictable ones. Although what really riled up Meloni’s supporters – even those aspiring to the Roman College – was not the art itself, nor Piccolo, nor the possible appropriation of Pirandello. Rather, it was the fact that, at the press conference, Gualtieri did not invite them. Federico Mollicone, chair of the Chamber of Deputies’ Culture Committee, said: “We find it in poor taste that Minister Giuli, Undersecretary Cannella and Tourism Minister Mazzi – through whom the Caput Mundi PNRR funds were channelled – were not invited today, nor was the regional government that provided over two million in funding for the programme, nor the parliamentary committees overseeing the national fund for live performance and, therefore, the theatre… This is a serious breach of institutional propriety’. Shortly afterwards, the former Roman ‘enfant prodige’, Marco Perissa, said: “It is frankly unacceptable that Mayor Gualtieri has chosen to celebrate the reopening by glorifying the unlawful occupation of the historic theatre, turning a controversial chapter into an experience to be celebrated”. (Gualtieri has, in fact, painted the steps of the Valle Theatre with fuchsia lettering reading: ‘No violence, no racism, no sexism’, which he posted on Instagram whilst wearing a safety helmet).

At the opening conference, however, in attendance were the Superintendent of Rome Claudio Parisi Presicce, Rome’s Councillor for Culture Massimiliano Smeriglio, Lazio Regional Councillor Simona Baldassarre and the President of the Teatro di Roma Foundation Francesco Siciliano. The ‘Fratelli di Gualtieri’ (with the exception of Baldassarre), which the Roman right wing interpreted as an affront.

The fact remains, however, that the curtain rose again yesterday on Silvio Galimberti’s ceiling and Valadier’s friezes. How beautiful they must be. Although, when it comes to the neoclassical style, Pirandello obviously prevailed. In the sense that they spoke ‘Roman’ for four years and understood one another. Until yesterday, when listening to them speak, it seemed as though they had never understood one another at all.