Valdocco – Torino (Wednesday, 01/07/2015, Gaudium Press) How was life in the times of Saint John Bosco? What would happen if we went back in time and if we could meet the Salesian founder himself? This is the theme of a musical to be presented on January 23 and 24 in Grane Valdocco Theatre in Turin. The event is part of the 2015 initiatives taking place in the Italian city to commemorate the bicentennial of the birth of Saint John Bosco.
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| Don Maurizio Palazzo: “Don Bosco’s message is still timely” Photos: Maria Auxiliadora Institute and losiowka.pl. |
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The play entitled: “Giovan(n)i D’Oggi”(its translation means “John, youth of today”), makes a trip back in time to bring up in present terms the teachings of the founder of the salesian order. To be seen by young people of all ages.
According to Alberto Lagostina, the director of youth ministry, who has been interviewed by the Press Office of the committee for the Bicentennial celebrations, the goal of the musical “is to represent how timely is the spirit of Don Bosco by making a trip back in time, where some modern characters are thrown back in the time of Don Bosco. There they are confronted with the experience of Don Bosco, at the same time old and contempory.”
The story is about a journey through time performed by young people of today who seek to create a union between modern times and the XIX century of Don Bosco. But an unforeseen problem occurs as one of the young people does not return. Then they discover that Carlo, the young man who remained in the past, becomes fascinated with the figure of St. John Bosco and he understand that it is not important to travel into the future, but rather what matters is to build the present based on the legacy of the Salesian saint.
Don Maurizio Palazzo, who was in charge of the texts, said that this story is not a biography but rather “it is a way to show what could Don Bosco say to a young person today.” “The message of Don Bosco is present because it reveals the potential of young people and helps them cope with life wisely,” Palazzo said.
He added that the purpose of the work is to “save the past in order to build the present and launched it into the future (…) Don Bosco, by his example, his teachings, has helped young people who are the most precious part of society, to face the great adventure of life.”
The musical is the creation of Giorgio Mocci, who has been working on it for the past three years, but has materialized only now, on the occasion of the bicentenary of the birth of the founder of the Salesian family. “We find it appropriate to tell this story in the theatrical and musical language which Don Bosco always liked,” added Lagostina.
From the Editor’s Desk of Gaudium Press, with information from the Office for the Bicentennial of the birth of Don Bosco.
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