By Giulia Piceni. Cover image: Margaret Mitchem for I’M Firenze Digest.
Dante’s masterpiece may be mostly known to be a Florentine affair, but what if I tell you that you can listen to it? The Divina Commedia has recently been given a modern interpretation through an album of the same name by the Genova-based singer Tedua. The album deals with themes of social elevation, redemption and atonement while showcasing the pop-rapper’s take on the musical style of emerging singer-songwriters in Genoa. These artists are known for their focus on lyrics, a sort of stream of consciousness following the roots of freestyle rap competitions.
After five years of partial absence from the music scene, Tedua has made a great comeback with a series of concerts that enrich the already high content of his latest release (keep an eye on the upcoming dates). To do so, the show that he has put up is sectioned into two acts, ultimately divided by the vocal intervention of an actor reading the first and the last canti of Dante’s Inferno.
In addition, each track’s sound base is not played by a DJ from the console but has been replaced by a small band consisting of classic and electric guitar (played by the famous Italian producer Shune), drums, piano and three choristers including a former collaborator of Genoa’s musical icon, Fabrizio de André.
At the Divina Commedia on tour concerts, you can expect this and much more. The first two parts of the concert series – Inferno and Purgartorio – have already been released, while fans eagerly await the release of the final chapter, Paradiso. In the meantime, stay informed by reading this article for a complete and artsy review!
AN ARTIST-WORTHY ALBUM COVER
Light and darkness and a twirl of damned people in the middle. The artistic touch given to La Divina Commedia had signed a clear direction since the reveal of the album cover: the result of a collaboration between Tedua and contemporary photographer David La Chapelle, whose name is well known in the art world. His images are quite intriguing; for example, his photographic subjects are often captured in moments of stillness, and his composition is reminiscent of a Flemish painting from the 16th century. However, the modern-day psychedelic colours he uses, including neon reds and pinks, as well as Giotto’s blues and deep siennas, add a contemporary twist to the artwork.
In short, Tedua made a great choice for his album cover, enriched by the art history references in La Chapelle’s work.
PHYGITAL CONCERT SETTING LEAVING EVERYONE SPEECHLESS
Taking place in a phygital setting worthy Teatro alla Scala, Tedua’s concerts can certainly entertain even those who are not big fans of his singing style, which is mostly defined as off-beat.
The concert begins with darkness, but as soon as the artist starts singing the first lines and the beat picks up, an ever-changing Inferno-themed graphic appears in the background, with games of lights and even flames on the edge of the stage.
The lateral screens show Tedua on stage with cartoonish effects applied on the spot or with no filters at all; in short, it is possible to affirm that graphically speaking, everything aims to add a dark allure, mixing gothic elements typical of Dante’s times with Tedua’s 90s aesthetic.
The lighting and stage design for Tedua’s performances were inspired by the colours used on the album cover.
Deep blues were used to set apart different pieces, while yellow and red filled the atmosphere for rhythmic tracks. Purple was typically associated with romantic and pop songs. Despite the fact that music preferences are deeply personal, it is hard to deny that Tedua’s five-year wait has resulted in well-structured events where both the themes and visual aspects of the performances are highly cohesive.
FASHION AS A TOOL TO MAKE THE CHARACTER POP
Fashion has always been a significant component of Tedua’s persona ever since the humble start of his career. It was a way for him to communicate his artistic ethos. For example, in an initial phase, his style had all the hallmarks of the drill scene, while a few years before the release of the long-awaited Divina Commedia, he got closer to more experimental looks, embodying various characters from the colourful rebellious kid to the stereotypical tux-wearing Italian men.
For instance, during the concert on December 5th at the Assago Forum in Milan, the opening outfit, consisting of a jacket, cargo jeans and matching silver shoes, was designed by PDF Channel. The Italian stylist and creative Domenico Formichetti, a long-time friend of the singer, created the project space.
