At Hadrian's Villa debuts "Lumen Lunae," a performance about Hadrian

On Friday, September 18th, at 8:00 PM at the Grandi Terme of Villa Adriana in Tivoli, the show "Lumen Lunae" will have its absolute premiere. It is a melodrama for a reciting voice, countertenor, and string quartet written by Filippo Arriva and set to music by composer Mario Modestini.

Participation requires the purchase of an entrance ticket for Villa Adriana (15 euros standard) plus a 2-euro supplement. Entry is scheduled from 7:15 PM, and online purchase is mandatory until seats are sold out. The show is organized as part of the VILLAEstate 2026 programming, the festival promoted by the Istituto Villa Adriana e Villa d'Este.

The show "Lumen Lunae" arises from the collaboration between writer Filippo Arriva and composer Mario Modestini, with the aim of creating a work that blends theater, poetry, and music to explore the most intimate dimension of Emperor Hadrian. The project focuses on the emperor's relationship with time and his desire for eternity, symbolized by the Moon.

The work draws from a wide range of literary sources, including writings by classical and modern authors such as Seneca, Virgil, Rilke, and Marguerite Yourcenar, who in her "Memoirs of Hadrian" helped revive the figure of the emperor. The artistic journey unfolds through specific musical moments created by Modestini, including the Overture "Elegia Tivoli" and the composition "Lumen lunae," which serves as the soundscape for the recitatives.

The production fits into the tradition of melodramas—artistic forms that combine recitation and music—and represents a new chapter in the enhancement of the cultural heritage of Hadrian's Villa, the imperial residence built by Hadrian himself between 118 and 138 AD. The choice of this historic site as a natural stage aims to create a direct link between the performance and the context that inspired the emperor.