Botanical Garden
Metamorphosis - Prima Onda Fest 2026
PRIMA ONDA FEST #7
Metamorphosis: an archipelago of visions, exploring nature, bodies and communities.
Performing arts, music and theatre at the Botanical Gardens in Palermo
3–13 September | PALERMO, Botanical Gardens
PRESS RELEASE
A performing arts festival born on the southern coast of Palermo and radiating outwards from there, from the centre to the suburbs, from the international limelight to local communities: Prima Onda – Metamorphosis weaves together theatre, dance and music as languages of the present, in an archipelago of visions; it explores nature, territories, communities, new generations and radical voices from the Sicilian and international scenes, in a living relationship with the city. The seventh edition demonstrates a desire to steer the festival towards an identity different from that of its inception. The collaborations – a truly widespread network spanning the public and private sectors – have strengthened the institutional aspect of the event.
The University wholeheartedly renews its support for Prima Onda Fest, confirming a partnership which, for the second year running, is enriched by the ‘Metamorphosis, Derive e Approdi’ project,” says Rector Massimo Midiri. “This is a highly valuable initiative, capable of bringing together research, the performing arts, heritage and public engagement, whilst reflecting on the major themes of our time. Our University regards culture as a fundamental tool for collective growth and dialogue with the local community. The involvement of UniPa Heritage and the Botanical Garden confirms the University’s commitment to promoting an increasingly dynamic and participatory experience – an important opportunity to showcase the University’s tangible and intangible heritage.”
The project renews the connection with nature, space, hospitality and transformation, bringing theatre together with biodiversity and a poetic vision of the other through site-specific performances. Born out of the experience of the Genìa collective, the festival is based on an innovative public-private model, developed in partnership with UniPa Heritage at the University of Palermo and CoopCulture, in collaboration with DAMS UniPa and the Sant’Elia Foundation.
Prima Onda Fest will be led by a ten-person artistic team: Manuela Lo Sicco (theatre), Giovanna Velardi (dance), Luca Giannetto (music), Angelo Sicurella (electronic music) and Emilia Guarino (public programme).
“The Botanical Garden of the University of Palermo is not merely a place dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and scientific research, but a space where nature, culture and knowledge are in constant dialogue,” says Michelangelo Gruttadauria, president of UniPa Heritage - “Hosting the Prima Onda and Metamorphosis festivals means celebrating this vocation, transforming the botanical heritage into a meeting place for different disciplines, where the performing arts offer new ways of interpreting the landscape and the relationship between humans and the environment.”
“The Botanical Garden is a place for research, conservation and the promotion of biodiversity, but also a space open to dialogue with contemporary forms of expression,” says Rosario Schicchi, director of the Botanical Garden. “Initiatives such as this festival help to foster a more sensitive and engaged perspective on our plant heritage, transforming the Garden into a laboratory of knowledge, connection and shared imagination.”
"The Metamorphosis – Prima Onda experience is a prime example of how the synergy between the public and private sectors can work perfectly,” explains Massimiliano Lombardo, regional manager of CoopCulture, “a collaborative project born with the sole aim of bringing cultural venues to life. Not static places, but dynamic spaces for encounter, reflection and creation.”
Metamorphosis (3–13 September) comprises two long weekends at the Botanical Gardens, picking up the thread developed in previous editions: the relationship between nature, space, hospitality and transformation. Here, theatre meets biodiversity and a poetic vision of the other, producing site-specific performances. Starting with Euripides, Balletto Civile’s *Le Fenicie* reinterprets a myth of powerful contemporary relevance, weaving together physical theatre, dance and spoken word in a reflection on the themes of exile, war and humanity. From the fragile boundary between reality and magic in ‘Abbracadabra’ by Babilonia Teatri to the paradoxical coexistence of a carnivore and a vegetarian in ‘Carne’ by Frosini Timpano, and on to ‘Ciclomorfosi’, a Carnezzeria production by Maria Giulia Colace, Sabino Civilleri, Manuela Lo Sicco and Vincenzo Pirrotta; to “Felici per sempre”, a production by Teatro C’art in which the actors navigate between reality and the absurd, maintaining a style that blends clowning, physical theatre and acrobatics. Two highly anticipated concerts: one by the winner of X-Factor 14, Casadilego, following the release of her debut album, *Silenzio*; and one by Lidia Schillaci, who has added her live performances to *Anima*. Amidst dervishes, sacred hymns, folk dances and intimate prayers, the concert-spectacle “The Music of Gurdjieff–de Hartmann: Between East and West” unfolds, featuring music by Angela Pardo on the piano and vocals by Giovanni Calcagno. Produced by La Casa dei Santi. Furthermore, Martina Cirri, an emerging singer-songwriter, presents “Suonando Le Viole”, where each track is a step towards rediscovering beauty; Dario Mangiaracina of La Rappresentante di Lista presents his solo project, “Capovolto”, a tribute to his forgotten Palermo. There are also performances outside the city, in Partinico, Alcamo, Custonaci and Salemi.
THE PROGRAMME
For information and updates:
ortobotanico.palermo@coopculture.it | 091 7489995
