Fiabe dal Mondo

A journey through the fairy tales of the five continents

Fiabe dal Mondo is a multidisciplinary festival established in 2024 in Rome, within the Municipio XIII area, by the youth association Le Chat Noir APS. The core idea is both simple and ambitious: to restore the folk fairy tale to its rightful place—not as a minor genre reserved for children, but as a vast symbolic archive capable of speaking to all generations. Each edition spans the continents, gathering African, Asian, European, American, and Oceanian stories, and reinterpreting them through theater, music, dance, and multimedia arts.

Three venues in the Aurelio district

The festival takes place across three venues in the Aurelio district of Rome: Villa Carpegna, a historic park featuring a 17th-century villa; the Ex Campari Cultural Hub in Piazza Cornelia, a former industrial plant converted into a local cultural space; and Parco Commendone, a green area on Via Decio Azzolino. This itinerant approach is more than a logistical choice: the festival aims to bring culture outside the historic center, into a part of the city often sidelined by major performance circuits.

Silent Theatre and the festival's language

The festival's signature format is the itinerant Silent Theatre performance: the audience wears wireless headphones to follow actors along park paths, with soundtracks and narration transmitted directly to their ears. This approach minimizes environmental and acoustic impact, allows for outdoor performances without invasive amplification, and creates an intimate connection between the spectator and the story. Alongside these performances, the program typically includes:

• concerts dedicated to world music and fairy-tale-inspired compositions;
• bilingual Italian-English shows focusing on Anglo-Saxon narrative traditions;
• workshops on theater, dance, musical instrument making, face painting, and visual arts for children and families;
• audio-video installations featuring animations and podcasts;
• an artistic residency for actors and actresses under 35;
• talks and meetings on the anthropological value of fairy tales.

Accessibility and inclusion

A focus on accessibility is a hallmark of the festival. Performances are accessible to people with reduced mobility, and upon advance request, the organization provides free Italian Sign Language (LIS) interpretation, audio description for visually impaired guests, and English translation. Reservations must be made at least one week in advance to activate these services. The festival offers free admission, with mandatory booking due to limited capacity.

A project supported by institutions

Fiabe dal Mondo was born within the cultural decentralization programs promoted by Roma Capitale—Department of Culture, in collaboration with Zè in collaboration with Zè in collaboration with Zè in collaboration with Zètema Progetto Cultura—and has received support from the Ministry of Culture. The original project was selected through the "Lo spettacolo fuori dal centro" (Performance outside the center) call, designed to bring high-quality productions to peripheral districts. The artistic direction is led by Annabella Calabrese and Daniele Esposito, the same creators of "Il Giardino delle Fiabe," the twin summer festival that Le Chat Noir hosts in the same venues.

Target audience

The ideal audience is families with school-aged children, but the program always includes events designed for adults: comedy that deconstructs classic fairy tale stereotypes, chamber concerts, and talks. It is an easy, free opportunity to discover a side of Rome far from the tourist trails, in two city parks that are pleasant even just for an autumn stroll.