Willem Dafoe Sets Program for 2026 Biennale Teatro Festival in Venice

Willem Dafoe has announced the program for the 54th International Theatre Festival, part of annual Venice Biennale, running June 7-21.

This year, the Golden Lion will be presetned to Sicilian writer/director Emma Dante, who will showcase her latest work, I Fantasmi Di Basile, inspired by the fairytales in Basile’s Lo Cunto De Li Cunti. Albanian-Greek artist Mario Banushi will receive the Silver Lion, presenting a trilogy of works under the title Romance Familiare.

Interntional works being presented include Christos Stergioglou and Alexandros Drakos Ktistakis’s Cries (Greece); Sharmila Biswas’s Mischief Dance (India), Bumi Purnati Indonesia’s Under the Volcano and Hikayat Perahu; Hewa Rwanda, Letter to the Absent by Dorcy Rugamba; Lemi Ponifasio’s Star Returning (Samoa); Satoshi Miyagi’s Mugen-Noh Othello (Japan); Davide Iodice’s Promemoria; and Silvia Costa’s Tacet by Jacopo Giacomoni.

Singer ANgeliquie Kidjo will present a concert with pianist Thierry Vaton. The Biennale Archvie will present an installation in tribute to Robert Wilson. And a new study program for 11 performers under 30 years old will be directed by mentors Evangelia and Mary Randou, Simon McBurney, and Willem Dafoe.