One of the most influential singer-songwriters in the Italian alternative rock scene, Cristiano Godano has spent more than thirty years with his band Marlene Kuntz, leaving a profound mark on the writing, sound and imagination of multiple generations. As the voice, author and guiding vision behind one of the most recognizable artistic paths in contemporary Italian music, Godano now joins the IMARTS roster with his solo projects and new stage formats that further expand his expressive universe. The projects presented are Cose Umane, Live in Solo and Parole e Musica: three different yet complementary expressions of a journey that brings together song, storytelling and reflection.

Among the new stage formats is Cose Umane, a brand-new project never before presented live, featuring Cristiano Godano on stage alongside Enrico “Drigo” Salvi of Negrita. A rare, essential and vibrant encounter: Godano of Marlene Kuntz and Drigo of Negrita, two historic figures of Italian music, bring to the stage a performance where the depth of storytelling intertwines with the power of live music. The format combines acoustic performances, narrative moments and literary readings in an intimate yet powerful flow, always keeping music at the center of the dialogue. The repertoire takes shape through the meeting of different but complementary worlds: songs from Godano’s solo career and works written for Marlene Kuntz, a selection of Drigo’s pieces from the Negrita repertoire, and a number of meaningful covers. Different musical languages and approaches blend together, creating an intense and poetic sound, both intimate and energetic. Alongside the music, the performance includes spoken moments conceived as a spontaneous and natural exchange of impressions inspired by the themes emerging from the lyrics. Both artists, also published authors, will present short readings selected from their own works in connection with the themes of the show.

Live in Solo instead reveals the most essential dimension of Cristiano Godano’s solo path. After more than thirty years as the leader of Marlene Kuntz, his solo artistic journey began five years ago with the album Mi ero perso il cuore, a debut acclaimed by critics for its poetic depth and musicality, performed in more than 200 live shows throughout Italy and finalist at the Targhe Tenco awards.

With the new album Stammi accanto, produced together with Luca Rossi, Godano adds another chapter to a career driven by expressive urgency and an exploration of the density of human emotions. In the live performance, Godano tells his story through his songs, creating an intense and direct experience in which all distance between artist and audience disappears. The most representative compositions of his career are presented in their most essential form, stripped of ornamentation to reveal all their strength and delicacy. The result is an elegant and profound concert where past and present intertwine in a continuous dialogue.

Parole e Musica is the performance in which Cristiano Godano presents himself to the audience in an intimate and personal dimension. Guided by a moderator through a conversation rich with insights — from music to literature, through personal and artistic reflections — the artist alternates dialogue with acoustic performances of songs from the Marlene Kuntz repertoire, performed with only guitar and voice.

In this confessional encounter, Godano tells his story through his songs, giving life to an intense and direct performance where the distance with the audience disappears. The show unfolds through the most significant songs of his career together with moments dedicated to memories, anecdotes and reflections on his long artistic journey. There are also explorations of his solo project Mi ero perso il cuore and his latest album Stammi accanto, both finding here a renewed breath and intimacy.

With this new addition, IMARTS welcomes an artist who continues to search for a necessary form — a place where music, words, listening and thought remain deeply connected.

First confirmed dates

COSE UMANE

• July 3, 2026 – Pergine Festival, Castel Pergine Park
• July 6, 2026 – Campo Venturi, Montetiffi di Sogliano al Rubicone, Forlì-Cesena

LIVE IN SOLO

• May 29, 2026 – Selegas, “Fueddus” Literary Festival, Library Courtyard
• July 24, 2026 – Ponteranica, Bergamo, Spazio Eventi Bobo, Happening delle Cooperative Sociali
• August 30, 2026 – Calvene Festival, Vicenza, Piazza Resistenza

PAROLE E MUSICA

• July 23, 2026 – Lecce, Cantieri Teatrali Koreja, “Il Teatro dei Luoghi”