From October 23rd at the Arcimboldi in Milan, Valeria Mancini is Gloria: «The show was built around Umberto’s songs».
When Valeria Mancini she showed up at the auditions for Gloria, the musicalhad just returned from a job in Dubai and still knew nothing about the show. «I only went to be listened to and to meet Umberto. The next day the call came: it took me a few days to realize what had happened.” Now she will be the one to give Gloria a voicea young woman determined to pursue her dream of becoming a singer.
From 23 October, at the Teatro degli Arcimboldi in Milan, the first musical dedicated to the repertoire of Umberto Tozzi, who also signs the musical direction, debuts. The title recalls the famous song born from the collaboration with Giancarlo Bigazzi; the show develops through 21 songs, from hits by Tozzi and Bigazzi to songs written with Raf. The music accompanies the characters’ choices and becomes part of the story.
Umberto Tozzi and Valeria Mancini – photo Stefano Colarieti
«The story was built around Umberto’s songs. The work was to find the right place and meaning for each one: sometimes it seems that they were written specifically for this story, even if they have existed for many years”, says Mancini. The encounter with the repertoire was also an opportunity to discover pieces less familiar to his generation. «The discovery was to delve deeply into the meaning of the texts and intertwine them with the story. “The cry”, for me, was a surprise. The accompanying choreography is incredible».
At the center of the story is the comparison between Gloria’s desire and her father’s expectationswho would like to see her in the family business. «It’s the story of a young girl who has a dream and tries to achieve it with all her strength. Her father tries to protect her, perhaps even wrongly, because the path of an artist is tortuous. However, she wants to reach her goal.” Between loves, conflicts and restarts, the protagonist will have to find her own path and put to the test the certainties that seemed already written for her.
Alongside Mancini in the role of Gloria, Nick Casciaro plays Marco. The cast also includes Gloria Miele (Eva), Emanuela Fresi (Sara), Toni Fornari (Luca), Elisa Marangon (Carla), Fabio Pappacena (Pietro) and Laura Ruocco (Diomira). For the interpreters, the work also involved a voice search: «Umberto’s vocality is unique. It was nice to work on songs written for a man and adapt them to our voices and style» says Mancini.
From 23 October to 1 November 2026 – Arcimboldi Theater – MILAN
From 5 to 9 November 2026 – Alfieri Theater – TURIN
From 11 to 13 November 2026 – Ivo Chiesa Theater – GENOA
November 15th – Clerici Theater – BRESCIA
From 20 to 22 November 2026 – Municipal Theater – VICENZA
From 16 December 2026 to 10 January 2027 – Conciliation Auditorium – ROME
From 22 to 24 January 2027 – Europaaudition Theater – BOLOGNA
January 29th and 30th 2027 – Lyrick Theater – ASSISI (Perugia)
From 5 to 7 February 2027 – The Rossetti – TRIESTE
February 10th – Geox Grand Theater – PADUA
February 13 and 14, 2027 – Verdi Theater – MONTECATINI SPA (Pistoia)
From 18 to 20 February 2027 – Palapartenope Theater – NAPLES
February 27 and 28, 2027 – Theater Team – BARI
From March 5th to 7th – Cilea Theater – REGGIO CALABRIA
From 19 to 21 March 2027 – Congress Palace – TAORMINA (Messina)
From 23 to 25 March 2027 – Teatro Al Massimo – PALERMO
From 9 to 11 April 2027 – Verdi Theater – FLORENCE
