KARACHI: Hundreds of children from a number of schools in the Metropolis converged at the Habitt City here to witness an Italian Cabaret Puppetry Performance organized by the dynamic Consul General of Italy Danilo Giurdanella (one of the longest-serving consul generals of Italy here) to celebrate the 24th edition of the Week of Italian Language in the World (WILW, 2024).

WILW, which is held every year in the third week of October, has become over time the most important event on a global scale dedicated to Italian language. The inspiration behind the initiative was to promote the Italian language and culture among young children and introduce them to the wonders of Italy; commemorating and advancing the same internationally.

Since its inception in 2001, WILW has annually received the high patronage of the Presidency of the Republic. It is pertinent to mention here that according to 2024 data 85 million people speak Italian (including 67 million native speakers). It is the most studied language in the world for culture and tourism.

Each week is dedicated to a different topic which serves as a common thread for a rich program of conferences, exhibitions and meetings: The theme of 2024 is Italian Language and Book: The World between the Lines, with the aim of exploring the connection between language and literature in the contemporary world, while enhancing the role of the book as a vehicle to Italian cultural heritage, values and identity.

In Put Your Heart Into It Pamela Mastrorosa gives life to puppets who attempt to make the spectator smile, dream, reflect, get excited and wonder apropos the simplicity of things in life. Children thoroughly enjoyed various stories narrated by the puppeteer from Italy.

Consul General of Italy, Danilo Giurdanella, commenting on the event stated: “It is a very important Show and it underlines engagement that we have for teaching Italian language and culture in Karachi. At the same time it is also a sort of cultural exchange because Urdu language is also taught in Italy. So we want to bring a little bit more of Italy to Pakistan”.

Consul General Danilo Giurdanella welcomed the pupils and teachers for their wholehearted participation in exploring more about Italy, it’s language and culture.

The children were greeted by Pamela Mastrorosa and Dr. Love (Franck Le Lay). Puppeteers interacted with kids while they also enjoyed scrumptious breakfast.

The Italian Consulate General in Karachi presented all the students a special publication A Thousand Wonders by Geronimo Stilton, the famous children’s character, who goes to Italy to explore the thousand wonders that Italy boasts of with its rich culture, history and tradition. Paramount Books Pvt. Ltd. and Gerry’s Group collaborated as sponsors and Turkish Airlines cooperated as travel partner for the event.

Puppeteer Pamela Mastrorosa was born in Italy’s Puglia region and has been working in narrative and puppet theatre since the age of 14 as a professional actress and puppeteer.

In 2011, she studied puppet theatre at the Teatro Casa di Pulcinella in Bari, (Italy): “I started a theatre with a company till I discovered puppet in Casa di Pulcinella [In 1988, the Granteatrino founded the Casa di Pulcinella, a permanent puppet and marionette theater, equipped with a theater hall, as well as spaces for exhibitions and workshops.]

Talking to Newspakistan.tv about her life and work Pamela Mastrorosa said: “Nina Theatre is a company of puppets. It is a visual theatre – just music with mime. I am very excited to perform for the first time in Pakistan.

“I started to study theatre, when I was 14-years old, in my city. It is a very little city in the South of Italy called Monopoli (Monopolitani, harboring some 50,000 citoyens).

“The story-line?…it was a big dream of my life to become an artist. And for this the title of the show is Put Your Heart Into It! Meaning if you put your heart in everything you do, your dream would be realized.

“So it is a big message. Outwardly, it is a company of puppet, but for me it is explaining the dream of my life to become an artist.

“Unfortunately, my daddy died ten years ago. So he did not see this show as it was created in 2019. So I decided to dedicate this to the memory of my father.

“I enjoyed performing visual theatre with puppet. Since I wanted to perform all over the globe, I realized that visual theatre was the only way to go everywhere in the world.”

In 2019 she started performing her one-woman show Mettici il cuore or Put Your Heart Into It at festivals and theatres across Europe and the world.

Talking about her puppets Pamela said: “I make them myself. One puppet is Nina. Many years ago, while I was travelling, I decided to have someone that is like me in order to travel together. Nina is my puppet, my name is Pamela. All my puppets are made of foam covered with fabric.”

While performing her one-woman show Mettici il cuore or Put Your Heart In It Pamela Mastrorosa gives life to puppets who attempt to make the spectator smile, dream, reflect, get excited and wonder apropos appreciating the magical simplicity of everyday life. The show is inspired by her own childhood memories.

She pulls out from a box of memories objects related to her childhood: dolls, clothes, books, toys etc. and brings them to life as funny and poetic characters. Pamela communicates with the spectators by means of eyes and smiles. Children thoroughly enjoyed various stories narrated by the puppeteer from Italy.

Franck Le Lay was born in Morlaix (Bretagne, France) in a family of performing artists. Now 50, he recalls that he commenced to get the taste of theatre at the age of six.

Since the age of 15 he got the hang of various disciplines, involved in the métier of puppetry, by working with different companies in France.

Towards the end of 1997 he moved to Amsterdam, where he co-founded Alien Voyagers. Since 2001 Franck Le Lay has been performing internationally with his group.

He said he had worked together with a lot of Dutch and other global companies, as a performer and as a designer, making custom theatre pieces.

Introducing the puppet he brought to Pakistan, Franck Le Lay said: “This gentleman is Dr. Love. It is about love. Dr. giving love to the world.” He entertained the guests along with his marionette.

Talking to Newspakistan.tv, Franck Le Lay informed about his alliance with Nina Theatre:“We met two years ago in a festival. Sometimes we collaborate to do a show. Or we do projects together.  Sometimes we travel together. And now we are here in Pakistan. For me it is the first time here”.

KARACHI: The Consulate General of Italy here organised a performance by Nina Theatre for families of the hospital staff and patients at NICH. More than 1.1 million patients are treated annually in this 500-bed hospital.

Newspakistan.tv