Arezzo Theatre Academy Begins Ninth Peer-Learning Cycle on Thirtieth Anniversary

The Libera Accademia del Teatro di Arezzo is continuing its focus on engaging younger audiences with dramatic literature through the ninth iteration of its "Allievi per Allievi" project in 2026. This initiative coincides with the institution's thirtieth anniversary, marking three decades since its founding in 1996 by young professionals in Arezzo. Commencing on Friday, January 23, 2026, the project is fundamentally structured around peer education, a methodology intended to enhance students' critical faculties, attentiveness, and sensitivity toward the various languages of theatrical staging.

This pedagogical approach aligns with progressive educational movements in Italy that aim to move beyond passive instruction by stimulating creativity and free expression through artistic engagement. The 2026 curriculum under this project encompasses intensive training workshops for forty-four distinct classes drawn from six secondary educational institutions across the region. Academy directors introduce foundational texts, seminal authors, and central thematic concepts, which students then translate into direct, hands-on experimentation with acting sequences.

The overarching conceptual framework for this year's exploration is designated as "Great Classics Through Time," a theme designed to demonstrate the enduring contemporary resonance of dilemmas embedded within historical theatrical works. Performance showcases featuring the Academy's Junior courses are scheduled to take place at the historic Teatro "Pietro Aretino" in Arezzo. Initial productions during January and February 2026 included Luigi Pirandello's "I giganti della montagna," directed by Andrea Biagiotti, and Carlo Goldoni's "Il bugiardo," prepared under Uberto Kovacevich. Subsequent scheduled works included "La guerra delle donne da Troia a Bagdad" and Eugène Ionescu's "Il rinoceronte – Restare umani."

Each theatrical presentation is meticulously designed to incorporate two morning performances followed immediately by a structured debate session. This format cultivates a direct, comparative exchange among student participants who occupy different roles as both performers and critical audience members. This interactive element fosters empathy and deeper textual understanding, supporting the broader aim of performing arts education to develop self-confidence and the ability to understand diverse human experiences.

The Libera Accademia del Teatro has a history of utilizing the Teatro "Pietro Aretino" for student showcases, including a past season featuring seventeen different performances across eight evenings. Key faculty members guiding the current productions, such as Amina Kovacevich and Andrea Biagiotti, bring extensive professional backgrounds to the project. This sustained commitment to engaging with classics, from Plautus to contemporary figures, underscores the Academy's role in Arezzo's cultural landscape.