Shakespeare in Veneto is a unique cultural project that began in 2015, born from a fortunate meeting between Ornella Naccari, owner of ON VIEW tour operator and event planner and the theatrical company “Casa Shakespeare” of Solimano Pontarollo – director, actor and artistic director.
This collaboration united two distinct worlds—cultural and educational tourism and theatrical performance—resulting in a project that has continued to grow, blending the promotion of school and cultural tourism with social and cultural enrichment. The core idea of the project is to create immersive experiences by staging Shakespearean plays in the very locations where they are set, allowing audiences to connect with the history and heritage of these iconic locations through live performance.
In 2016, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, the project began staging Shakespearean works in their original language and in the original settings of the Veneto Region. These performances took place in historically significant locations such as Juliet’s Tomb in Verona, Venetian palaces, ancient villas, and a castle overlooking Garda Lake.
- Romeo and Juliet in Verona –The heart and soul, hatred and bitterness, celebration and mourning, fights and rivalries “in fair Verona…where civil blood makes civil hands unclean”.
- Othello, the Moor of Venice – Beauty overwhelmed by love jealousy. Othello, Desdemona, Iago: passion, love, hate. A traveling traveling production where each scene is set in a different hall of one of the most fascinating Venetian palaces.
- The Merchant of Venice – Money for love against revenge! Antonio for Bassanio, Portia for Bassanio, Portia against Shylock: can the Jew demand a pound of flesh from “The Merchant of Venice”?
- The Taming of the Shrew in the Paduan territory (Legnaro and Monselice) –Petruchio’s strength against Kate’s wrath. The power to refuse a marriage of convenience versus love born of honest, if unruly, passion.
- The Two Gentlemen of Verona in Torri del Benaco (Garda Lake) – The romantic friendship of “The two Gentlemen of Verona” clashes with true love, as a chase unfolds between Verona and Milan, across the “sea” that divides them: the Garda Lake.
In 2020, the project evolved with the introduction of the Shakespearean Walking Tour, a creative blend of guided tour and live theatrical performances. These walking tours offer participants a unique way to explore the cities and culture associated with Shakespeare’s works. Accompanied by culture and art history experts and professional actors, visitors and students of all grade levels can follow itineraries that trace the steps of Shakespeare’s characters through real historical settings.
These performances can be staged in either the original English version or in Italian original version making them accessible to both local and international audiences.