The human pharaoh Some time after the brilliant "Farinelli". The Royal Voice (1994) Dionysi invites Roger Young to film in the English television movie Joseph (Giuseppe 1995), where Stefano will star alongside such movie monsters as Ben Kingsley, Martin Landau and Monica Bellucci. The historical film was commissioned by the European media concern Kirch-Gruppe as part of a series of television programs dedicated to the adaptation of biblical stories, and received an Emmy in the category of best miniseries and four other nominations. The music for the film was created by Ennio Morricone. The painting, titled “Joseph the Beautiful, the Viceroy of Pharaoh,” tells of Joseph (Paul Mercurio), Jacob’s beloved son (Martin Landau), who could interpret dreams. The hero of the picture from childhood was calm, balanced and very polite. This character largely distinguished him not only from many peers, but also from other children in the family. Joseph was very much loved by his father, who decided to bequeath to him all his fortune. The brothers of the young man did not like this, and they sold it to the Egyptian Potiphar (Ban Kingsley), who at that time was the main person in the guard of the pharaoh. Joseph was not only smart, but also beautiful. And this fact did not pass the attention of the wife of the guard (Leslie Ann Warren), and she tried to seduce the guy. Since she failed, she accused the slave of adultery, and for this in those days was severely punished. Joseph was in jail. In prison, the guy had to stay for a very long time, but since this man was extraordinary and very gifted, because he since childhood managed to interpret dreams truthfully, he was noticed in prison, and reported about his talent to the Pharaoh (Stefano Dionysi). Due to certain coincidences, Joseph was surrounded by the great Pharaoh, and soon he managed to become not only a true interpreter of dreams, but a very influential person.
This biblical story is perfectly filmed, everything is in it: natural science, history, universal values. All but a chance to demonstrate Dionysius's abilities. The role that he was offered is similar to an incredibly expensive diamond, put on display in a showcase of armored glass. And this showcase shows only one property of a diamond - its beauty, and nothing more. Given Dionysi’s acting experience and success in such serious films as Father and Son and Farinelli, the role of the pharaoh seems too small for him. Not using the actor's talent to the fullest, not giving him space to realize, limiting him to a minor role - doesn't this look like a strange flaw of the filmmaker? But no matter what happened, Stefano once again shines in the frame. Nature generously endowed him with appearance, which makes it easy to take on the images of significant figures, whether it is an opera singer, or an Egyptian pharaoh - slender, graceful, he is always head above others, and it is difficult not to distinguish him. The pharaoh of Egypt is the embodiment of the god Ra on earth, dressed in white robes, decorated with gold, must be majestic and domineering. Dionysi makes him vulnerable, helpless, frightened, young and... human. This image could have been interpreted differently, but Stefano trusted his intuition and won.