Concert | Orcolat ’76 with Simone Cristicchi

Orcolat ’76 is a theatrical and musical production that evokes, with emotional intensity and documentary precision, the earthquake that struck Friuli in 1976 and the extraordinary rebirth that followed. At the heart of the play lies the ancient legend of the “Orcolat” (“great ogre,” a derogatory form of the Friulian term orcul, “ogre”), a creature from local folklore said to dwell within the mountains of Carnia and to cause earthquakes with its sudden movements. An ancestral, symbolic being that embodies the fears of a land, becoming a metaphor for a force that is both destructive and transformative.

Through words, music, testimonies from the “men of the earthquake,” and poetic imagery, the performance conveys not only the chronicle of those tragic days but also the resilience of a community that found the strength to rise again. Orcolat ’76 retraces those moments, moving between reality, dream, and hope for the future, creating an ideal bridge to the present day while reminding us of the enduring value of memory and collective identity.

written by Simona Orlando and Simone Cristicchi
original music and direction by Maestro Valter Sivilotti
female voice Franca Drioli
with the Soloists of the Accademia Musicale Naonis di Pordenone

Presented by the Ente Regionale Teatrale del Friuli Venezia Giulia and the Accademia Musicale Naonis di Pordenone, together with Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia, with the support of Ente Friuli Nel Mondo and the Fogolârs Federation of Canada, and in collaboration with the Istituto Italiano di Cultura Toronto, under the auspices of the Consulate General of Italy in Toronto.

ABOUT SIMONE CRISTICCHI
A singer-songwriter, actor, illustrator, and writer, Simone Cristicchi made his musical debut in 2005 with Vorrei cantare come Biagio, an ironic j’accuse against the recording industry. From that moment on, his career has been marked by growing acclaim from both audiences and critics. In 2007 he won the Sanremo Music Festival with Ti regalerò una rosa, a deeply moving micro-story set within the microcosm of mental illness. Since 2007 he has been active in theatre with acclaimed productions such as Mio nonno è morto in guerra and Magazzino 18. Since 2019, he has toured with a series of successful theatrical works, including Manuale di volo per uomo, Il secondo figlio di Dio, Esodo, Alla ricerca della felicità, and, more recently, Paradiso – From Darkness to Light, Torneremo ancora – A Mystical Concert for Battiato, and Franciscus – The Madman Who Spoke to Birds. Orcolat ’76 premiered in 2016 on the 40th anniversary of the Friuli earthquake and now returns in a new version to mark the 50th anniversary of the disaster.

ABOUT MAESTRO VALTER SIVILOTTI
His musical compositions, for which he has received prestigious awards, are performed in theaters around the world. A pianist, composer, and conductor among the most acclaimed of his generation, Valter Sivilotti has worked writing for major artists from the singer-songwriter tradition, jazz, and classical music. His ideas, shows, and music appear in the programmes of major orchestras and theatres around the world, such as Kremerata Baltica, the Orchestra of Teatro La Fenice in Venice, the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Accademia Musicale Naonis in Pordenone, the Göttingen Symphony Orchestra, and the Russian Philharmonic. He composed the original music for the stage production La variante di Lüneburg, performed by Milva. The ballet Voglio essere libero received the “Anita Bucchi” Award. The civic musical Magazzino 18, performed by Simone Cristicchi, received the “Le Maschere del Teatro” Award. In 2025 and 2026, he was invited to conduct the orchestra at the Sanremo Festival. He is a professor and head of the Popular Music Department at the J. Tomadini Conservatory in Udine. Valter Sivilotti has been awarded the title of Officer of the Order of the Italian Republic.

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