Upon the invitation of Artistic Director Andrea Cigni, Teatro Ponchielli approached Nebbia for a collaborative effort in devising an integrated communication project commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Monteverdi Festival, an annual celebration of the renowned Cremonese composer.

The goal of the superintendency was to expand the festival’s reach to make the entire city part of the event, transcending the boundaries of the theater.

Together with the theater, we adopted a provocative approach compared to the norms of operatic communication. We created simple and impactful graphics for posters in Cremona and neighboring cities, with a particular focus on “musical” cities.

The concept aimed to emphasize how ‘Divin Claudio’ was fundamental for all of opera and subsequent authors, and how it should be for Cremonese tourism. We used slogans such as ‘There is no Verdi without Monteverdi’ and ‘There is no Cremona without Monteverdi,’ tailored to the specific location of the posters.

The last phase of the project involved the creation of a visual mapping.

In the heart of the city, next to the picturesque Piazza del Comune, an audiovisual content was projected for 15 consecutive nights, revisiting the highlights of Monteverdi’s life.

Inspired by the concept of a journey, this visual breathed life into artworks connected to Monteverdi’s life and creative works, animating them. Some of these works dated back to the years when the composer was alive. Nebbia conducted meticulous research at the public library and the State Archives to retrieve, digitize, and animate documents and prints associated with the musician’s career and life.

As desired by the superintendency, through this projection, Monteverdi was brought into the city, creating a unique engagement.