In contrast to the traditional narratives (or maybe in accordance with the most gruesome and thus frequently omitted parts of those same narratives), the Mediterranean Sea has changed right before our eyes. It has become a graveyard for thousands of poor people attempting to reach Europe.

Erri de Luca, an Italian writer, was the first to write a poem about this tragic reality, a non-religious prayer titled Mare nostro, che non sei nei cieli, which he courageously pronounced on several public occasions.

This sparked the creation of a series of short scenes depicting various emotional situations linked by a sense of urgency and participation, as a study of neat expressive connotations for an imaginary musical theatre.

It is not a task for music to establish ethical boundaries or to make moral judgements because it operates on a level that cannot be reduced to the logic of conflict that dominates political debate, nor can music replace narration or real experience, which is incomparable to its representation. However, music has a unique ability to elicit emotions and establish connections that go beyond words. It must be able to provide a unique perspective that holds together contrasting, sometimes opposing, feelings and emotions through polyphonic relationships, embracing the many contradictions we are called to deal with every day.

Nostro mare was first performed within the PlayIt! Festival 2015 and received the PlayIt! Prize, awarded by the musicians of the Orchestra della Toscana.