Jesus Christ Superstar: with Ted Neeley there is also Frankie Hi

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 of Andrew Lloyd Webber And Tim Ricewhich at Easter from the stage of the Sistine will begin a new, unmissable Italian tour.

Known as “the most beloved rock opera of all time”, the show will begin its journey in Italy – in Rome, the 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.

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 is 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 the 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 in addition to 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 17 to 19 May), Reggio Emilia (Teatro Municipale Valli from 27 to 29 May), Bologna (EuropAuditorium Theater from 31 May to 1 June), Parma (Teatro Regio from 7 to 8 June).

Official press release

Jesus Christ Superstar: with Ted Neeley there is also Frankie Hi-Nrg