The Passione di Sordevolo
At a Glance
• Italy’s No. 1 Popular Theatre Production;
• More than 30,000 spectators for each edition;
• Over 600 volunteers involved in the construction and production of the performance;
• 4,000 m² open-air amphitheatre;
• 2,500 m² of stage scenery;
• 10,000 metres of scaffolding tubes and 11,000 couplers;
• 800 m² of scenic cladding;
• 500 cubic metres of aggregate material used to create the arena’s flooring, levels and elevations;
• Scenery rising to 15 metres in height;
• 13 horses and a Roman centurion featured in the performance.
Nestled in the heart of the Elvo Valley, at the foot of the Biella Alps, Sordevolo is home to one of the world’s most remarkable traditions of popular theatre. Every five years, the entire community stages the Passione di Sordevolo, a monumental production which, in terms of audience numbers, is today second only to the famous Passion Play of Oberammergau, Germany.
The Passione is far more than a theatrical performance: it is a collective undertaking involving the whole village. Around 400 actors and extras, supported by hundreds of volunteers, devote themselves with passion and professionalism to every edition. Costumes, scenery, direction, acting, organisation and stage production are entirely designed and created by the people of Sordevolo, who have passed this tradition down from generation to generation.
The performance takes place in a vast open-air theatre transformed into Jerusalem in 33 A.D.. Scenery reaching up to 15 metres in height recreates Herod’s Palace, the Sanhedrin, Pilate’s Praetorium, the Last Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane and Mount Calvary. The story combines powerful storytelling with profound emotional impact.
The script has its roots in medieval sacred theatre. Compiled at the end of the fifteenth century by Giuliano Dati, it derives from even earlier texts and bears significant similarities to the Passion Play performed by the „Compagnia del Gonfalone“ at Rome’s Colosseum. This makes the Passione di Sordevolo one of the oldest and most significant surviving examples of popular religious theatre in Europe.
Although inspired by the Gospels, the Passione is organised entirely by the local community in a secular way. Each new generation is involved from an early age, ensuring the continuity of a unique cultural heritage that brings together faith, history, art and a strong sense of collective identity.
Over the decades, the production has earned the admiration of historians, scholars and leading theatre critics, who have recognised its exceptional artistic, cultural and human value. Making the experience even more meaningful is its charitable purpose: the net proceeds from each edition are traditionally donated to charitable causes, confirming that the Passione is not only a great theatrical event but also a genuine expression of solidarity and responsibility towards the community.
Today, the Passione di Sordevolo remains one of the world’s most outstanding examples of popular theatre: a living heritage that continues to move thousands of spectators while keeping alive a centuries-old tradition built on participation, memory and shared commitment.
