by InTrieste
At the Italian Embassy on Tuesday evening, a commemorative performance marking the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Friuli earthquake brought together Italian and American officials, artists and members of the Italian diaspora to reflect on the disaster’s legacy and the region’s reconstruction.
The event featured “Orcolat ’76,” a theatrical production by Simone Cristicchi, organized by the Ente Regionale Teatrale and the Accademia Musicale Naonis. The performance revisits the earthquake that struck northeastern Italy on May 6, 1976, killing hundreds and devastating communities across Friuli.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Massimiliano Fedriga, the president of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, described the earthquake as both a tragedy and a turning point. He said the reconstruction that followed became “a model of European and international significance” for how a community can recover from disaster and rebuild its future.
Fedriga also emphasized the role of the United States in supporting reconstruction efforts, calling it the country that “more than any other” contributed from abroad. He described that assistance as a key factor in rebuilding factories, homes and infrastructure, and in shaping what he referred to as a long-term transformation of the region.
“A half-century later, we are aware that that hope never faded,” Fedriga said, adding that commemorating the anniversary meant both honoring memory and recognizing recovery.
The evening included the presence of Italian Ambassador to the United States Marco Peronaci, the mayor of Gemona Roberto Revelant, and several regional officials, including Barbara Zilli, Sergio Emidio Bini and Pierpaolo Roberti.
Bini, the regional councillor for productive activities, said the performance carried particular emotional weight for those who experienced the earthquake as children, recalling fear and uncertainty in the immediate aftermath. He said Cristicchi’s work also highlighted what he called the resilience of the Friulian population in rebuilding their communities.
Zilli described the production, directed by Walter Sivilotti, as an opportunity to express gratitude to the United States on the anniversary of the disaster, noting that post-earthquake cooperation included infrastructure development and broader economic support.
Roberti, the regional councillor for local autonomy and security, said the anniversary provided a moment to reflect on what he called the “Friuli model” of reconstruction. Over five decades, he said, the region had shifted from a rural economy to a more dynamic and growing economic system. He also pointed to the visit to Washington as an opportunity to strengthen future partnerships with American counterparts.
Fabrizio Pitton, president of the regional theater organization, thanked regional authorities for supporting the international tour, saying it served to promote the cultural identity of Friuli Venezia Giulia and to present one of the region’s defining historical experiences to audiences abroad.
