Musical on St. Francis in St. John Lateran Square
VATICAN CITY, AUGUST 16 (ZENIT.org).- Because of World Youth Day, Rome has become the setting for over 300 open air events, which began this afternoon and will continue until this coming Friday. The events include popular and classical music; plays; meetings with artists, writers, witnesses of the faith, etc.
This evening, St. John Lateran Square, the largest square in Rome, was the venue for the musical "Courage, All of You, Come," which narrates the unique story of St. Francis, his difficult relationship with his father, Pietro Bernardone, who did not share his "mad" decisions. The musical is really an allegory of the generation gap between parents and children.
Michele Paulicelli, who played St. Francis, and who composed the music, explained the meaning of this musical, which was first performed in 1981. "I began by putting the 'Little Flowers of St. Francis' to music, without knowing exactly what I wanted to do. Then, little by little, together with others who felt the same way about the figure of Francis, we achieved in 20 days what we wished to convey. We have been performing it now for almost 20 years," he said.
What is the secret of a performance that has lasted 20 years? "The figure of Francis of Assisi," Paulicelli answered without hesitation.
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