French cinema, born with the Lumière brothers, found a fantastical dimension with Georges Méliès, an illusionist and pioneer of film. Méliès created imaginary worlds using theatrical sets, ingenious optical tricks, and hand-colored films. Palazzetto Bru Zane celebrates his genius with a cine-concert titled Wonders and Music on January 21, transforming into a late 19th-century screening room.
The event features three of Méliès’ colored films (Le Voyage dans la Lune, Voyage à travers l’impossible, and Le Royaume des fées), accompanied by French piano pieces performed by Gabriele Dal Santo, with an introduction by Marco Bellano. Notably, Voyage à travers l’impossible stands out for its structure of fixed “tableaux,” filled with humorous sketches and dynamic scenery that evoke a theatrical farce. The film reflects the ideals of Positivism, celebrating progress through machines and inventions.
