Community-based Interview about the Int’l Project The Reawakening of the Gods

The Italian musical The Reawakening of the Gods, presented as a Public Reading at Montclair State University this past month, is at the core of a broader international intercollege initiative illustrated in the course of a March 20 interview of WMSC FM90.3 radio program titled “Coffee with Montclair.” LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

Given the goal of this original radio program, which literally brings our students and equipment to the nearby community to connect with local listeners and boost MSU engagement off campus, WMSC chose an Italian spot, Caffe classico in Pompton, NJ. The interviewer, Allen Macaraeg, addressed questions to Prof. Teresa Fiore (Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies, Italian program, CHSS), Prof. Lori McCaan (Voice Program Cali School, CART) and our special guest from Agrigento, in the region of Sicily, composer and director Marco Savatteri, to explore the different aspects of this exciting multi-phase initiative.

In the course of a lively exchange with Allen, Fiore explained the history of the project, born from Savatteri’s first visit on campus in Nov. 2024, and unfolding through three workshops with our students, a two-month summer internship in Sicily for three Opera and Musical Theatre students in 2025, and the March 27, 2026 Public Reading bringing together members of the Savatteri company and MSU students. McCann, also on behalf of Prof. Ryan Kasprzak (Musical Theatre, CART) highlighted the importance of the internationalization of the curriculum for Montclair State students in the Performing Arts, especially those in Opera and Musical Theatre: Italian constitutes a key language for their training and career opportunities.

Savatteri commented on the ancient and yet incredibly contemporary content of a musical that carries the timeless lessons of classical mythology. Precisely because of this eternal quality, Savatteri was excited to bring the musical from the UNESCO World Heritage site The Valley of the Temples of Agrigento – where the show is presented in front of the 5^th-century BC Tempio della Concordia – to the United States and have it speak English, thanks to the translation of the 2025 intern and Opera student, Brianna Coppolino. Her precise and poetic version was completed under the supervision of Prof. Trubiano (Italian program) and encapsulates the type of translation of knowledge, talent, experience, languages and cultures that the overall initiative activates in three departments (Musical Theatre, Voice at the Cali School of Music, and Italian), two colleges (CART and CHSS), two kind of entities (public university and private company Savatteri Produzioni) and effectively locations in two continents, Montclair (USA) and Agrigento (Italy).

Sponsored by the Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies, in collaboration with the Cali School of Music, the Dept. of Theatre and Dance, Savatteri Produzioni, and The Parco Archeologico e Paesaggistico della Valle dei Templi di Agrigento, this international intercollege initiative reflects the Expand Reach and Amplify Impact commitment of Montclair State University’s mission: “Increase global engagement by creating international experiences, broadening access to Montclair programs and promoting a global mindset.”

Special thanks to Communications and Media major, Allen Macaraeg, and his team of students from the award-nominated WMSC radio, supervised by Annabella Poland, who joined at Cafè classico for a cappuccino. And a special “grazie” to the owners of Caffe classico for their hospitality and generosity. It’s always nice to find arancine and cannoli on the other side of the Atlantic after a long flight from Sicily!

Short link: tinyurl.com/ReawakeningInterview