Emma Dante

Born in Palermo in 1967, Emma Dante explores the theme of family and marginalization through a poetics of tension and madness in which there is no shortage of humor. A playwright and director, she graduated from the Silvio D’Amico National Academy of Dramatic Art in Rome in 1990. In1999 she formed the Sud Costa Occidentale company in Palermo with which she won the 2001 Scenario prize for the “mPalermu” project and the 2002 Ubu prize as an Italian novelty. In 2001 she won the Lo Straniero prize, awarded by Goffredo Fofi, as a young emerging director, in 2003 the Ubu prize with the show “Carnezzeria” as best Italian novelty and in 2004 the “Gassman” prize as best Italian director and the critics’ prize (National Association of Theatre Critics) for dramaturgy and direction. In 2005, she won the Golden Grail award as best director for the play “Medea.” He published “Carnezzeria. Trilogy of the Sicilian Family” with a preface by Andrea Camilleri (Fazi 2007) and her first novel ‘via Castellana Bandiera’ (Rizzoli 2008), winner of the Vittorini and Super Vittorini 2009 awards. In October 2009 she was awarded the Sinopoli prize for culture. On December 7, 2009, she opened the Teatro alla Scala season with the direction of Bizet’s Carmen conducted by Daniel Barenboim. They have been in repertory from 2000 to 2010 in Italy and abroad: mPalermu, Carnezzeria, Vita mia, Mishelle di Sant’Oliva, Medea, Il festino, Cani di bancata, Le pulle and three fables for children and adults published by Dalai editore: “Le principesse di Emma.” Since January 2011 he has been touring Italy and abroad with the show “The Glasses Trilogy,” published by Rizzoli, consisting of three chapters: Acquasanta, Zisa Castle and Ballarini. In April 2012, he debuted in Paris at the Operà Comique “La muta di Portici” by Auber directed by Patrick Davin, which was revived in March 2013 at the Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari under the direction of Alain Guingal with great success with audiences and critics. With “La muta di Portici” he won the Abbiati Prize in 2014. In October 2012 he debuted, at the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, “verso Medea” from Euripides, with music and songs composed and performed live by the Mancuso brothers. In 2013 He presented in competition at the 70th edition of the Venice International Film Festival, the film “Via Castellana Bandiera” based on the novel of the same name, with which he won the following awards: Soundtrack Award for Best Soundtrack, Navicella Award, given by Rivista del Cinematografo, Lina Mangiacapre Award
On January 18, 2014, he opened the season of the Teatro Massimo in Palermo with Feuersnot by Richard Strauss conducted by Gabriele Ferro. In 2014 she received the two-year appointment as artistic director of the 67th cycle of classical performances at the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza. In 2014 she debuts at the Teatro Mercadante in Naples “Le sorelle Macaluso” co-produced by Teatro Stabile di Napoli, Festival d’Avignon, Théâtre National – Brussels, Folkteatern Göteborg as part of the “Cities on stage” project. In the same year, Emma Dante became principal director at Teatro Biondo, and director of the “School of Performing Arts Professions” established within the stable theater of the city of Palermo.
At the end of the first course of the school she directed, the show “Odissea A/R” was born, which went on tour to the most important theaters in Italy. In 2014 she won the De Sica Prize for theater and the Hypatia Prize for female excellence. On January 21, 2015, she opens the season of the Massimo Theater with Gisela! By Hans Werner Henze. On July 8, 2021, he debuts at the Teatro Grande in Pompeii as part of the Pompeii Theatrum Mundi review “Sugar Pupo. The Feast of the Dead” co-produced by Sud Costa Occidentale, Teatro di Napoli – Teatro Nazionale, Scène National Châteauvallon-Liberté / ExtraPôle Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur / Teatro Biondo in Palermo / La Criée Théâtre National de Marseille / Festival d’Avignon / Anthéa Antipolis Théâtre d’Antibes / Carnezzeria. In February 2022 he debuts at Teatro Bonci in Cesena “Scarpette rotte” fable for young and old. In January 2023 he debuts at the Biondo Theater in Palermo, Il Tango delle capinere