La coscienza di Zeno (Zeno’s Conscience) | Teatro Duse

Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 March 2026, at 9:00 PM, at the Teatro Duse in Bologna, Zeno’s Conscience will be staged, starring Alessandro Haber and directed by Paolo Valerio.

An undisputed masterpiece of twentieth-century literature, Zeno’s Conscience by Italo Svevo celebrated the centenary of its publication in 2023. An innovative, ironic, and deeply European novel, it continues to captivate contemporary audiences thanks to its psychological complexity and the modernity of its writing.
To celebrate this important anniversary, the Teatro Stabile del Friuli Venezia Giulia – based in Trieste, Svevo’s hometown and the setting of the novel – chose to present a new and highly acclaimed stage adaptation directed by Paolo Valerio, in collaboration with Goldenart Production. Its success has been such that the production has become a regular event: now touring for its third consecutive season, it continues to sell out major Italian theatres.
The character of Zeno Cosini, the neurotic yet fascinating protagonist, comes to life on stage through the masterful performance of Alessandro Haber. With his extraordinary charisma and unique stage sensitivity, the actor conveys the full richness of the character: a man who sees himself as inept and ill, constantly torn between the desire to change and the failure of his attempts to heal.
The text originates from Zeno’s notes, written during psychoanalytic therapy with the mysterious Dr. S. The result is an intimate narrative, at times hilarious, always marked by sharp irony and universal reflections. A bourgeois everyday life tinged with the surreal, offering moments of truth that, a century later, still resonate with striking relevance.
Zeno’s Conscience has always attracted great performers: from Renzo Montagnani to Giulio Bosetti, from Alberto Lionello—unforgettable face of the Rai television adaptation—to Johnny Dorelli, star of a successful TV edition. Today, under Paolo Valerio’s new direction, Svevo’s legacy is renewed through a staging that is modern yet faithful to the spirit of the novel. This production is part of a broader project aimed at enhancing the great cultural heritage of the Trieste area, reaffirming the city’s role as a crossroads of ideas, literature, and theatre.

By Italo Svevo

Cast: Alberto Fasoli, Valentina Violo, Stefano Scandaletti, Ester Galazzi, Emanuele Fortunati, Francesco Godina, Caterina Benevoli, Chiara Pellegrin, Giovanni Schiavo
Adaptation: Monica Codena, Paolo Valerio
Director: Paolo Valerio
Set and Costume Design: Marta Crisolini Malatesta, Luigi Gigi Saccomandi
Music: Oragravity
Video: Alessandro Papa
Movement Direction: Monica Codena