I was 17 when I read the famous novel Narciss und Goldemund by Hermann Hesse. At that age it's a novel which may impress you…you remember it. You're ready to identify with the hero.

Straight away I decided to create a musical out of it; twelve years later I actually began writing my first massive work: Boccadoro The Traveller

I preferred not to re-read the book before writing because I wanted to start from the first impression.

Later I realized I was right: the impression I got, when re-reading the book, was completely different.

In 1999 I began working on the stage adaptation.

At the beginning of 2000, the 80% of the score was there but the lyrics were hard to be found. That was the moment when I asked Valentina to collaborate with me to revise the script and to write the missing lyrics. It was a true creative time and together we worked more and more effectively. It was demanding but funny; we had the key to communicate. The last songs were born out of my musical input or her verbal intuition, during long nights of work, drinking beer…

From 2001 onward, it has been a long journey in a very complicated ocean of would-be producers, “pilgrimages” around Italy, projects, State Institutions, and so on…
How much time…and money!
I'm sure the only ones who can really understand me are those who already know the frustration of starting again and again with 1000 uncertain answers and appointments always postponed…They are all enthusiastic, but none of them is ready to invest money in it!

In 2003 the decision of making a product able to gain visibility and to give the idea of the high quality I wanted to reach.
I tried to find funding sources and sponsors but I couldn't find any so I decided to produce a 10 minute promo video on my own.
The organization of the work for the video has been exciting: the orchestration by Fabio, the mixing with Roberto, the shoot plan with Giovanni and Diana…and finally the editing!
An ensemble of different efforts gathered to provide a theatre-like cross section of the show through the video.
The hard work to make the video has been paid back with the general approval.

At the same time, I made the English version with the first translations by Gippy; that way it was turning into a more West-End-like show.
This new product allowed me to gain credibility and, most of all, to communicate exactly my idea of the project.
This time the “usual interlocutors” would have something tangible to take into serious consideration for the production of the whole musical. The video convinced them all, but yet, it was not enough. No producers were in view...
The musical had to be staged: that wasn't a need but a must!
At this point of the climbing, the presence and the support of Franz, Manu and Francesco, who firmly believed in Boccadoro The Traveller , and still do, were fundamental. We thought to recruit artists and theatre technicians in Sicily. Therefore, we started up a net of cooperation with conservatory schools and public institutions with the idea of founding scholarships and providing specialization stages.
Once again events decided my fate…

There arrived a new proposal: to put the show on stage on the 25th of August 2004 at the Archaeological Site of Selinunte (Trapani).
Again, I couldn't find any sponsor and funding. Again, I decided to go forth…on my own.
As a counterpart for each and every effort, I was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm from the whole staff, especially from Michele Carfora, Simone Sibillano and Paola Lavini.
The rest is these days' work in progress…