Dec. 24 – “I have always been convinced that this show had the credentials to win over a global public. And so it was.” And Giulia Luzi is right, when speaking of “Romeo and Juliet. Love and change the world,” a musical produced by David Zard, directed by Giuliano Peparini, with music by Gerard Presgurvic and texts in Italian by Vincenzo Incenzo. The show premiered in Verona on Oct. 2-3 2013 and has since been staged in Rome, Milan, Naples, Turin, Florence, Parma and Palermo, totaling over 330,000 spectators in 166 performances. A real phenomenon. In early December the show went on stage in Bari, but the real news is that the musical will debut abroad: “On February 20 we will be in Istanbul, where we will go on stage for 12 scheduled performances – says the young Roman singer and actress – I’m very happy to go work in a city that I don’t know at all, but of which I’ve heard only wonderful things. Surely I’ll take advantage of my free time and I’ll explore it all. Above all, I am very happy and excited for this international debut because a show like ‘Romeo and Juliet’ deserves to be appreciated around the world. After all, anyone who has seen it, knows that we can’t limit ourselves to Italy.” The representations in Turkey are an international premier for “Romeo and Juliet. Love and change the world,” but the musical is already looking further east, thanks to numerous expressions of interest received from South Korea, Japan, China, Russia, and Azerbaijan. It seems like the show will go on a world tour for the next few years. “I was not expecting – says Julia – such a big success for the show; it’s nice to see people come under the stage to dance and sing with us; it’s nice to see children ask for Christmas a ticket to the show. This is a key element: it means that theater has launched the right message, and it means that the message has been understood. It’s wonderful to know that there are children and young people who come to see the show. There are fans who have seen the musical more than 50 times; and others who are ready to come with us to Istanbul, to support us once again.” Beautiful, talented, young and talented, Giulia Luzi is already thinking about the moment in which she will say goodbye to Juliet: “I’m really passionate about music, so I hope that by springtime my first single will be ready for release. I really love theater but I know that in my future there is music. I hope, one day, to be able to perform at the Sanremo Festival, or maybe perform a duet with Tiziano Ferro. Cinema is another thing, I really enjoy acting, so maybe that’s also something I could try out.” For now, Giulia is completely taken by Juliet and her Romeo, Davide Merlini: “Juliet – she says – now belongs to me. Her determination and courage, these are her traits that I recognize more as mine. Obvious – concludes Giulia – her romantic and naive sides are also part of me, but her great strength of will is what I can actually feel mine.”