With his writing, performances, and ability to foster dialogue between artists and disciplines, Alessandro Baricco represents an integral part of the history of the Romaeuropa Festival after the success of Tucidide. Atene contro Melo, the writer, returns to the stage, this time alongside Stefano Bollani, for a special event born from the pages of Novecento. The theatrical text—later transformed into a book, a film, a graphic novel, and a playlist—continues to generate stories, sounds, and visions. The Romaeuropa Festival hosts a unique version of it, narrated by the author himself and performed by pianist Stefano Bollani—an eclectic musician and winner of the 2023 David di Donatello for his score in Il Pataffio. The two artists bring to the stage a high-stakes showdown that Bollani describes as «a confrontation between words and sounds.». On one side stands Novecento, an explicitly emblematic character, a synthesis of the dazzling multiplicity of his time—capable of absorbing every influence, from jazz to Debussy, from folk to non-European music, and extraordinarily recreating it all. On the other side is Jelly Roll Morton, the American pianist and jazz pioneer who boards the transatlantic liner to challenge the eccentric Novecento, whose growing fame he finds unbearable. «Bringing him to life at the keyboard will feel like stepping into legend,» says Stefano Bollani. As we already know, Novecento will emerge victorious—not only through his astonishing musical genius but also because he wields the power of curiosity in contrast to Morton’s fiery aggression. Morton duels to win, while Novecento plays to discover something new from his opponent.
Alessandro Baricco is one of Italy’s most versatile contemporary writers. Known for his bestselling novels Castelli di rabbia (Campiello Selection Award and Prix Médicis Étranger, 1991), Oceano Mare (Viareggio Prize, 1993), and Silk (1996, translated into 16 languages), Baricco has also had a prolific career as a television host of cultural programs, as well as a playwright and essayist. His fourth essay, I Barbari (2006), explored the relationship between writing and the digital cultural revolution. In his latest book, The Game (2018), Baricco revisited this theme, expanding the discussion to the digital revolution’s impact on humanistic thought and culture. The book serves as an intellectual preface to the principles he has applied to the Academy program of the Scuola Holden, which he founded in 1994 in Turin. His latest novel, Abel, was published by Feltrinelli in 2023.
Stefano Bollani has built a career that bridges jazz and classical music. He has performed with artists such as Chick Corea, Richard Galliano, and Bill Frisell, as well as with symphony orchestras like the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig and La Scala in Milan. He has recorded albums for ECM and ACT Records and has received prestigious awards, including the European Prize. Beyond music, Bollani is also active in writing and television. Since 2021, he has co-hosted Via dei Matti Numero Zero on Rai 3 alongside Valentina Cenni—a highly successful daily evening show dedicated to music, now in its fourth season. His latest novel, Il Tempo della Stravaganza, was published by Mondadori on March 25, 2025.
Enrico Rava is one of the most influential figures in international jazz. Active since the 1960s, he has collaborated with renowned artists such as Joe Henderson, Pat Metheny, Archie Shepp, and Michel Petrucciani. He has recorded for prestigious labels like ECM and has received numerous accolades, including the “Jazzpar Prize” and the title of “Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters” in France. In recent years, he has pursued various projects, including the quintet “Fearless Five” and collaborations with talented musicians.
Novecento: Il Duello
With: Alessandro Baricco and Stefano Bollani
and with Enrico Rava
From an idea by: Alessandro Baricco, Stefano Bollani and Alessio Bertallot
