Monday 28 March 2022 – 17:01
Jesus Christ Superstar, the cry of pain for Ukraine at the Sistine Chapel
The new tour starts again, Ted Neeley is Jesus. Frankie Hi-Nrg is Herod
Rome, March 28 (askanews) – The legendary Ted Neeley is back in the role of Jesus, Frankie Hi-Nrg interprets Herod in a hip-hop version for the first time and in the show a new ending, with the cry of pain of Ukraine. Over 2 million spectators in Italy and Europe have already experienced the great emotions of “Jesus Christ Superstar”, the musical by Massimo Romeo Piparo considered a real international phenomenon, produced by PeepArrow Entertainment in the original version by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, who will start a new, unmissable Italian tour from the Sistina stage at Easter.
Known as “the most loved rock opera of all time”, the show will begin its journey in Italy – in Rome, next April 6 from the Sistina Theater -, marking the return of a title that does not know the signs of time and of great artistic depth, always awarded by the public and critics.
The extraordinary protagonist of an incredibly talented cast will once again be the charismatic Ted Neeley, the original Jesus of the famous 1973 Norman Jewison film, called to give face, body and voice to a character who renews an eternal myth, whose message of peace, spirituality and dialogue are now more necessary than ever. The “resurrection” of Christ on the stage will be an emblem of rebirth, after the human and cultural catastrophe left by the pandemic, and even now that yet another bloody war is taking place.
And it is precisely in the constant connection with our present that “Jesus Christ Superstar” also in this edition renews and amplifies its great symbolic value. Among the absolute novelties of 2022, there will be the debut of Frankie Hi-Nrg in the role of Herod, for the first time in a hip-hop version. An Italian precursor of the genre (he was the first Italian to publish a hip-hop song for a major in 1992), Frankie Hi-Nrg will in fact play the role of a character who sadly evokes the tremendous relevance of a selfish “commander” focused on himself to the point of neglecting the real interest of his own people and of the Kingdom that he should represent.
In its being a vehicle of eternal and positive values, through the story of the passion of a man-symbol capable of making spirituality his revolutionary banner, the show could not fail to represent also the immense tragedy that the world has been witnessing for weeks and to offer one’s closeness to Ukraine with the universal language of art. Marking the time of the pressing music in the scene of the 39 lashes inflicted on Jesus, the now mythical 39 images of contemporary martyrs will be projected, with a “new”, powerful ending that will be the cry of pain of the Ukrainian people.
With the live orchestra conducted by Maestro Emanuele Friello and a cast of over 30 artists, the historic Italian edition by Piparo, on stage since 1994, will touch many Italian cities in 2022 beyond Rome (Teatro Sistina from 6 to 17 April) : Florence (Teatro Verdi from 22 to 24 April), Bari (Teatro Team from 30 April to 1 May), Bassano del Grappa (Pala Bassano 2, 6 May) Genoa (Politeama Genovese, from 11 to 14 May), Turin ( Teatro Colosseo from May 17th to 19th), Reggio Emilia (Valli Municipal Theater from May 27th to 29th), Bologna (EuropAuditorium Theater from May 31st to June 1st), Parma (Regio Theater from June 7th to 8th).
Perfectly combining 70s-style rock music, the tradition of musicals and a story of universal values, Jesus Christ Superstar is a musical that knows no boundaries, capable of conquering audiences of all ages and all nationalities. To prove it, the numbers of its glorious history: 12 consecutive years on the bill in Italian theaters from 1994 to 2006; more than 1,600 performances; over 2 million spectators in Italy and Europe; over 190 artists who alternated in the different editions: among others, the late Carl Anderson and Barry Dennen – respectively Judas and Pilate in the original film – staged in Italy in 2000 the first and from 2014 to 2017 the second, but also Yvonne Elliman (Maria Maddalena from the historic film), the Negritas, Simona Molinari, Shel Shapiro, Mario Venuti, Max Gazzè, Simona Bencini, Amii Stewart, Elio, di Elio e le Storie Tese, etc. And of course Ted Neeley, star since 2014.
With its impressive and spectacular staging, the show, staged in English, not only celebrates talent but honors Italy on international stages, demonstrating that our country has now reached competitive levels in terms of artistic quality and professionalism in the musical. Proof of this are the sold out and open-stage standing ovations that have accompanied the show for years, as well as the prestigious MusicalWorld Award, one of the most authoritative international awards in the field of musicals, which awarded the Jesus Christ Superstar produced by PeepArrow Entertainment by Massimo Romeo Piparo as the best international production in the Netherlands in 2016.
Jesus Christ Superstar, the cry of pain for Ukraine at the Sistine Chapel