Libera Accademia del Teatro di Arezzo Marks Three Decades with Peer Education Project

The Libera Accademia del Teatro in Arezzo is marking its thirtieth anniversary with the ninth edition of its "Allievi per Allievi" (Students for Students) project, scheduled for 2026. Established in 1996 by local professionals, the Academy has consistently upheld its motto: "From the first to the third... theatre for all ages." This peer education initiative, formally commencing on Friday, January 23, 2026, is designed to sharpen students' critical acuity, focus, and sensitivity to various stage languages. The project receives local backing from entities including the Fondazione Guido d'Arezzo and the Rete Teatrale Aretina.

The 2026 educational program encompasses a series of training workshops reaching forty-three classes across six lower and upper secondary schools in the Arezzo region. Academy directors lead sessions to introduce central texts, authors, and themes, culminating in direct experimentation of acting scenes by the students. Key teaching staff, including Amina Kovacevich, Andrea Biagiotti, Uberto Kovacevich, and Francesca Barbagli, consistently guide this core element of the Academy's educational mission.

The central theme for this edition is "I grandi classici nel tempo" (Great Classics Through Time), which seeks to highlight the contemporary relevance of dilemmas found within historical theatrical works. Students are tasked with reinterpreting canonical theatre pieces, closely linking them to current reality to demonstrate that past conflicts and passions mirror present-day youth conditions. This approach evolves from previous project themes, such as the prior edition's focus, "Letteratura on stage. Dalla pagina alla scena" (Literature on Stage. From Page to Stage).

The project's culmination involves performances by the Academy's Junior course groups at the Teatro "Pietro Aretino" in Arezzo. These morning performances are specifically staged for audiences composed of fellow secondary school students. The January and February 2026 schedule features significant works, including Luigi Pirandello's "I giganti della montagna," directed by Andrea Biagiotti, which was performed on January 23. Uberto Kovacevich's student group prepared Carlo Goldoni's "Il bugiardo," staged on February 3.

Each performance is followed by a debate session, facilitating direct comparison and exchange between the acting students and the audience. This theatrical experience is further enriched by preparatory in-class workshops led by Academy directors, offering in-depth introductions to the texts and playwrights' contexts, fostering a deeper and more robust understanding of the theatrical work. For instance, Pirandello's work often explores themes of crisis and the need for conscious illusion for survival in modernity, while Goldoni's comedy remains a staple of Italian theatrical history. Through this established and valued format, the Libera Accademia del Teatro continues to solidify its position as a progressive educational institution in Arezzo.