How a High School in Southern Italy is Redefining “Humanitas” in Times of War
by International Arts & Culture Desk .
It is a rare phenomenon when a student production transcends the walls of a classroom to become a global beacon of civic reflection.
Yet, during the recent National Night of the Classical Lyceum, the Liceo “Don Carlo La Mura” in Angri accomplished exactly that. Under the visionary leadership of Principal Rossella Tedesco and the passionate dedication of the entire faculty, this institution didn’t just celebrate history; it interrogated the present.
Guided by the theme Homo Sum—the Terentian plea that “nothing human is alien”—the school transformed its architecture into a living, breathing stage. This wasn’t a static play, but an immersive, itinerant journey through the floors of the institute, where the boundaries between actors and audience dissolved in a shared “emotional investment.”
The centerpiece was a devastatingly beautiful rendition of Euripides’ The Trojan Women, directed by Adele Fresa and Lidia Sellitto.
In a bold and necessary artistic choice, the directors drew a direct parallel between the captive women of Troy and the women of Gaza today.
The representation reached its emotional zenith when the female students, their heads covered and infants in their arms, began a slow, agonizing rotation on the spot.
Accompanied by a harrowing dirge, this “dance of the dispossessed” captured the cyclical nature of war and exile. The visual impact was heightened by a masterful play of light and shadow, where students used torches and lanterns to “pierce the darkness” of our current geopolitical era, symbolizing a desperate yet resilient search for peace.
While the collective effort of all the students was marked by extraordinary commitment and grace, the evening also highlighted individual artistic promises.
Within the broader narrative, a separate, captivating vignette titled L’Urlo Bianco (The White Cry) featured Imma Sorrentino in the role of Helen of Troy. Sorrentino, a rising talent who recently made waves in the film industry—having both written and starred in the acclaimed film Malavia (presented at the Rome Film Festival and produced by Matteo Garrone’s Archimede)—brought a professional depth to the stage. Her Helen, isolated in an evocative blue scenography, was a powerful study of the ambiguity of beauty amidst destruction.
The night concluded with a stirring discourse by Antonia Di Prisco, who spoke on the vital necessity of theater and beauty within the educational system. Di Prisco’s words served as a manifesto for the school’s mission: theater is not a luxury, but a “concrete tool” to stimulate empathy and sensitize the youth to the suffering of others.
The overwhelming success of the event—not only in terms of public attendance but in its profound critical impact—proves that the “Don Carlo La Mura” is more than a school; it is a laboratory of Humanitas. By weaving together ancient verses, evocative music, and modern tragedy, these students haven’t just performed a play—they have issued a call to the world to remember our shared humanity.