Vania Cauzillo, based in Matera, Southern Italy, is a stage director, documentarist, and artist-PhD researcher at the University of Basilicata. Her research focuses on community opera formats and co-creation methods, working with local and European communities to develop narratives from personal stories and musical archives. She is the co-artistic director of L’Albero Compagnia Teatrale, recognized by the Italian Ministry of Culture, and has collaborated with Teatro San Carlo in Naples. Vania designed the acclaimed community opera project “Silent City” for Matera European Capital of Culture 2019. She has served as Vice-Chair of RESEO since 2021 and was elected Chair in 2023.