ITALIAN EVENTS NEWSLETTER – SUMMER 2017

ART EXIBITIONS ROME L’ARA COM’ERA – THE ARA PACIS AS IT WAS (augmented reality)

Until 30 October 2017 Museo dell’Ara Pacis http://www.arapacis.it FLORENCE GIULIANO DA SANGALLO (1445-1516)– ARCHITECTURAL SKETCHES Until 20 August 2017 Uffizi Gallery www.uffizi.ii THE BEAUTY FACTORY – RICHARD GINORI AND ITS PORCELAIN STATUES

Until 1 October 2017 Museo del Bargello http://www.museodelbargello.it/ YTALIA: ENERGY, THOUGHT, BEAUTY, EVERTHING IS CONNECTED Until 1 October 2017 Forte di Belvedere http://museicivicifiorentini.comune.fi.it/export/sites/museicivici/materiali/FB_Mostra_Ytalia_2017EN.pdf MILAN LR100. LA RINASCENTE – STORIES OF INNOVATION

Until 24 Sept. 2017 Palazzo Reale www.palazzorealemilano.it SFILATA IN PALCOSCENICO - LA SCALA OPERA COSTUMES

From 21 Sept. 2017 to 28 January 2018 Palazzo Reale www.palazzorealemilano.it INSIDE CARAVAGGIO

Palazzo Reale From 28 Sep 2017 to 29 Jan 2018 www.palazzorealemilano.it VENICE BIENNALE D’ARTE

Various locations 13 May to 26 Nov 2017 www.labiennale.org

NEW MUSEUMS/ ATTRACTIONS/EVENTS PISTOIA – ITALIAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE 2017

Dating back to Roman times, the Medieval town of Pistoia is the Italian Capital of Culture this year. Visitors will be welcome to discover its artistic and architectural masterpieces as well as the lovely countryside with plenty of natural reserves, small villages, parks and thermal baths resorts. Since the Middle Ages, Pistoia has been a landmark on the routes of traders and pilgrims, just like Santiago de Compostela, thus sharing the same patron saint since 1145. There will be an array of music, theatre, art and other events as part of the programme as well as guided visits to museums and other sights of the town. www.pistoia17.it FIRST METRO STATION-MUSEUM IN ROME The Rome underground Metro station, San Giovanni, is the first of 3 stations that will function also as a museum. Construction works on the new underground line, the 3rd in the Capital, have unveiled hidden Ancient Roman treasures that will now be on show in the Metro station: iron spearheads, gold coins, delicate perfume bottles, marble statues, bronze fish hooks, giant amphorae and more. Some of these artefacts are now on show at the station which is situated near the San Giovanni in Laterano Cathedral, in central Rome. SANTA SEVERA CASTLE RE-OPENS TO THE PUBLIC Santa Marinella, Lazio http://www.castellodisantasevera.it/

The Santa Severa Castle in Santa Marinella on the northern coast of Lazio has been re-opened after careful restoration work. It is situated in the ancient archaeological site of Pyrgi, a Roman port and started as a “castrum” (tower). The castle proper was built in the 14th century and a “borgo” or small hamlet developed around it. During the 16th and 17th centuries the Castle of Santa Severa was the holiday residence of many Popes and nobles of the area. The Castle is situated in a magnificent position overlooking the sea and contains 5 museums inside, meeting rooms, a cocktail bar, a library and a book shop.

FESTIVALS AND OTHER CULTURAL EVENTS RAVELLO CONCERTS, in Ravello, Amalfi Coast Villa Rufolo, Ravello –27 Mar – 3 Dec 2017 www.ravelloarts.org

Spanning from Spring to Autumn, far from the tourist crowds, Ravello becomes the favourite destination for those who love the silence of its Villas and its medieval churches. In that time, an audience of music lovers meet every year to listen to the concerts held in the gardens and the rooms of Villa Rufolo, famous for having inspired Wagner for the setting of his Parsifal.

VIVA VIVALDI , the Four Seasons Mystery Show in Venice Now on

This new show tells the story of both the man and the artist Antonio Vivaldi, The Red Priest, a visionary genius ahead of his

time. Innovative technologies combine large HD images, multi-directional sound and scent effect, enhancing the beauty of the Sant’Apollinare Complex. The immersive itinerary starts in the

quaint cloister and it continues, room after room, in a symphony of notes and colours www.vivavivaldivenezia.com For press kit: http://vivavivaldivenezia.com/en/press-kit/ ARENA DI VERONA Verona – 23 June – 27 August 2017 www.arena.it

The International Opera Festival, now in its 95th edition presents a rich calendar of events. The operas to be performed this year are: Aida, Nabucco, Rigoletto, Madama Butterfly and a Gala with Placido Domingo and a Gala for the 9th Symphony by Beethoven. Arena di Verona welcomes once again artists and public in its magnificent setting.

LA NOTTE ROSA – PINK NIGHT Adriatic coast of Emilia Romagna and Marche 7 July 2017 www.lanotterosa.it For one night the entire Riviera (Romagna and Marche) turns pink. There will be shows, events, theatre sets, and scenery. Each resort will interpret the theme in a creative and original way. The whole Riviera will become an enormous stage where everyone has a part to play. La Notte Rosa will take place all along the coast, from the Lidos of Comacchio to Senigallia, but the heart of the event is the Riviera of Rimini. It is an event that attracts thousands of Italians to head to the Adriatic coast and is fast becoming an international attraction. UMBRIA JAZZ Perugia 7-16 July 2017 www.umbriajazz.com

From the moment of its birth in 1973, Umbria Jazz was clearly different from the other Italian jazz festivals. While jazz was usually to be heard in small clubs and occasionally in theatres and concert halls, Umbria Jazz took the music into the historic town squares of Umbria to audiences of up to twenty thousand young people, and every concert was free. The music of the New World was performed in the setting of Umbria’s medieval towns and spectacular scenery, and it was this unusual combination which gave the Festival its special appeal. CARACALLA – ROME OPERA SUMMER FESTIVAL Caracalla’s Thermal Baths in Rome 28 Jun – 9 Aug 2017 www.operaroma.it

The open air setting of the majestic Caracalla’s Thermal Baths offer a unique backdrop to one of the best loved summer opera festivals in Italy. This year’s programme includes: Bizet’s Carmen, Puccini’s Tosca and Verdi’s Nabucco and a ballet gala by acclaimed dancer Roberto Bolle. COMO FESTIVAL – CITY OF MUSIC Como, Lake Como 29 Jun – 14 Jul 2017 www.comofestival.com Since 2008, Festival Como Città della Musica takes place on Lake Como, the water being the symbol of a vital culture that flows, connects and grows. It involves the whole town: from the Arena of Teatro Sociale of Como to the wonderful neoclassical Villas by the lake, passing by cloisters and courts, medieval towers (such as the famous Torre del Baradello) and hidden Gardens - like the beautiful park of Villa del Grumello - from sunrise to night-time. All art genres, from dance to musicals, opera to jazz concert are represented and there will also be performance of the Verdi’s opera “Nabucco” in 29 June, 1 and 4 July. SOUNDS OF THE DOLOMITES Trentino Region, From 7 July to 31 August 2017 www.isuonidelledolomiti.it

Sounds of the Dolomites is a trek along the paths of nature and art towards a horizon that opens to the vibrations and echoes of all the music in the world. Everyone sets off together, music and mountain lovers, musicians and the public. The walk continues step by step towards the summit. The concert, at the end of the walk, is an encounter with art and nature. The musician carries his instrument on his shoulder, sits on the grass or

rock and plays in the centre of the public, in a natural environment. This year there will be a special event in Campiglio too.

PUCCINI FESTIVAL Torre del Lago – 14 July – 19 August 2017 www.puccinifestival.it

Torre del Lago hosts the Festival Puccini, created by Puccini himself, since 1930. The outdoor theatre, close to Villa Mausoleo where the Master’s remains lie, is an amazing setting to enjoy the music of one of the most outstanding and esteemed Italian artists worldwide. Operas on show in 2017 are: Madame Butterfly, Tosca, La Boheme and Turandot, La Rondine and Le Dernier Jour d’un Condamne’. SFERISTERIO OPERA FESTIVAL Macerata, 21 July –14 August 2017 www.sferisterio.it This year the Festival will stage :Turandot, Madama Butterfly and Aida. The Opera Festival is hosted almost entirely in the magnificent theatre-shaped Sferisterio, unique in its architectural genre. Designed in 1823 by architect Ireneo Aleandri, it derives its name and its half-circumference shaped plan from the name of the game played inside: the “armband ball” or Pallone col bracciale. STRESA FESTIVAL Stresa 18 Jul- 8 Sep 2017 www.stresafestival.eu Stresa Festival opens its doors to the public continuing its tradition of excellent music, art and culure, held in a number of venues around Lake Maggiore, Lake Orta, Val d’Ossola on various dates. SUMMER JAMBOREE Senigallia, Marche 26 Jul- 6 Aug 2017 www.summerjamboree.com

This music Festival is dedicated to the music and culture in America in the ’40s and ’50s with live concerts of dj set swing, rock’n’roll, jive, doo-wop, rhythm’n’blues, hill-billy e western swing .Stands will sell: juke box, hats, gadgets, guitars, vynils, CDs and other objects of that era. There will also be a ‘40s and ‘50s classic cars show. MUSICA RIVA FESTIVAL Riva del Garda – Jul-Aug 2017 (programme tbc) www.musicarivafestival.com This is a music festival of the highest level entertaining the audience with performances and events and which represent a fundamental meeting point for young musicians from around the world. The event puts in the spotlight artists of diverse origins from classical music to dance and includes a competition dedicated to the musician Riccardo Zandonai. ROSSINI OPERA FESTIVAL Pesaro, 10-22 August 2017 www.rossinioperafestival.it

This festival is dedicated to the music and operas of Goacchino Rossini, who was born in the Le Marche city of Pesaro. This year’s edition of the festival will put on show: La siege de Corinthe, La pietra del Paragone, Torvaldo e Dorilska, Il viaggio a Reims, Stabat Mater and various other concerts.

LA NOTTE DELLA TARANTA Salento, Puglia Month of August and 27 August 2017 in Melpignano www.lanottedellataranta.it La Notte della Taranta is the most important music festival in Europe dedicated to traditional music, and it collects every summer over 200.000 spectators from all over the world. Born in 1998, as an initiative promoted by Grecìa Salentina (Union composed by 11 Municipalities close to Lecce where Greek origins still strongly exist), in order to the tradition of “tarantati”, the Festival has grown a lot these past years. Every year the Festival arranges a set of itinerant concerts around the Municipalities of Grecìa Salentina (one per village) ending at Melpignano, the village where everything started 15 years ago, with the famous ‘’Concertone’’. VENICE FILM FESTIVAL Venice, 30 Aug – 9 Sept 2017 (programme tbc) www.labiennale.org Venice will host the 74th edition of this film festival, one of the oldest and most famous. Thousands of visitors, dozens of stars and hundreds of projections are crammed into ten days of fabulous festivities and parties. The Festival is hosted at the Lido Island in the Venice Lagoon. MITO SETTEMBRE MUSICA

Turin and Milan September 2017 – various locations (programme tbc) www.mitosettembremusica.it This is a major festival developed from the thirty years experience of Settembre Musica which connects Turin and Milan, in a programme of refined and stirring concerts: the world’s best orchestras, baroque opera, medieval music, the great maestros of contemporary music and the music from the most distant places; jazz, open-air shows, night-time concerts... FESTIVAL DELLA MENTE Sarzana – Liguria 1-3 Sep 2017 www.festivaldellamente.it Festival della Mente is Europe’s first event dedicated to creativity. It brings together Italian and foreign writers, artists, musicians, architects, film and theatre directors as well as scientists and philosophers who investigate the nature of this most fascinating and mysterious human skill. FESTIVAL LETTERATURA Mantua – 6-10 Sep. 2017 www.festivaletteratura.it This year’s “Festivaletteratura” builds on tradition, Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winner will take part to this ever more successful Festival of Literature hosted by the art city of Mantua.

SPORT MONZA MOTOR GRAND PRIX 1-3 September 2017, Monza http://it.motorsport.com/track/monza/ Iconic Formula 1 Motor GP in the Monza race track, an unmissable appointment for all fast cars lovers. BARCOLANA – SAIL RACE Trieste – 12 October 2017 www.barcolana.it Every year more than two thousand sails meet in the Gulf of Trieste. The 16 mile nautical route, Europe’s biggest sailing event and the only regatta in the world to set a single start line for so many yachts.

HISTORICAL RE-ENACTMENTS/FOLKLORE QUINTANA OF ASCOLI PICENO Ascoli Piceno – 8 Jul and 6 August 2017 www.quintanadiascoli.it

Ascoli Piceno in the Marche region, hosts each year the historical Quintana, a re-enactment of Medieval customs and practices. The participants are dressed in Medieval costumes and walk in procession along the streets of the city in each “sestiere” (city quarter), followed by flag bearers and archers.

FESTIVAL OF THE REDENTORE Venice – 15- 16 July 2017 www.veneziaunica.it One of the most popular events in Venice is celebrated each year on the third Sunday of July. The festival itself dates back to the year 1576, and is named after the church Redentore that was designed by Palladio and resides on the island of Guidecca. Venice was suffering from a terrible plague, and the Republic's senate voted to build a temple on the Guidecca Island in honour of Christ the Redeemer, and the Venetians promised to go there every year on the third Sunday of July, if the plague stopped. Traditionally, the Venetians celebrate this day by having dinner on the Saturday night while watching an incredible display of fireworks that light up the skies over Venice for an hour or more. THE PALIO OF SIENA Siena – July 2nd/ August 16th 2017 www.comune.siena.it Everyday life grinds to a halt as Siena celebrates its most ancient and sacred ritual: horses and riders representing ten of Siena’s seventeen contrade, or districts, race around the ring of tufo rock that covers the Piazza del Campo. On 2 July and 16 August the long afternoon begins in the heart of each contrada with the blessing of the horses, followed by the historical parade to the piazza. Finally, there is the race itself: the victorious contrada bears the banner triumphantly to the Provenzano Basilica for the “te deum” thanksgiving to the Madonna ( 2 June) or to the Madonna Assunta (16 August).

PALIO DEI NORMANNI DI PIAZZA ARMERINA Piazza Armerina, Sicily – 12,13, 14 August 2017 www.feditgiochistorici.it

Plutia (the old Piazza Armerina) is home to the most ancient medieval event in Southern Italy which takes place every year from August 12-14 in honour of Madonna Maria SS. Delle Vittorie. The event is a re-enactment of Sicily being conquered in 1060 by the Normans, led by Ruggero of Altavilla. At the end of the event, the whole procession parades through the main streets, triumphantly displaying the city flag along with its winners. LA TORTA DEI FIESCHI, Cogorno and Lavagna (Genoa), 13-14 August 2017 www.tortadeifieschi.it On 13th August in San Salvatore di Cogorno takes place the "Addiu du Fantin", a medieval reconstruction of the bachelor party of Count Opizzo Fieschi with dances, antique music, flags games and knights. One day after, 14th August, not far away in Lavagna, takes place the medieval reconstruction of the marriage of Bianca De’ Bianchi with Opizzo Fieschi, better known as "Torta dei Fieschi" (Fieschi’s Cake): a giant wedding cake, prepared for the occasion by local confectioners, is distributed to all participants in the event. HISTORICAL REGATTA Venice – 3 September 2017 www.regatastoricavenezia.it The Grand Canal every year during the first Sunday of September becomes a theatre for one of the greatest of Venetian events, the Historical Regatta, dating back to 1315 under the rule of doge Giovanni Soranzo. The Historical Regatta starts out with the colourful procession on water, formed by the Bissone, the Bucintoro and the boats of the Venetian rowing clubs, but also the women’s race on Mascarete and that of the youngsters Pupperini. THE MACCHINA DI SANTA ROSA PROCESSION Viterbo - September 3rd 2017 www.facchinidisantarosa.it Each year the Medieval town of Viterbo in Lazio renews the festivities in honour of its Holy Patron. The Trasporto della Macchina di Santa Rosa, a procession which takes place in the evening of September 3rd to commemorate the relocation of the body of Saint Rosa from the Church of Santa Maria del Poggio to the church of San Damiano (the Sanctuary of Santa Rosa). The Macchina di Santa Rosa is a gigantic structure, nearly 30 metres high, which is carried through the streets by a large team of strong local men. SAGRA DEL FUOCO – FIRE FESTIVAL Recco (Genoa) 7-8 Sep 2017 www.sagradelfuoco.it The celebrations in honour of the Our Lady of the Suffragio are known all over Italy, for the grandeur of the firework displays, which explode to illuminate the sky of Recco. It is the 7 quarters of Recco which challenge each other; they avail themselves of the best Italian masters of fireworks displays. During the same time the solemn procession of 8th September takes place through the streets of the town with the Arca Argentea Suffragina and the magnificent wooden Crucifixes of the Ligurian Brotherhoods. PALIO DI ASTI in Asti, Piedmont Asti, 17 September 2017 http://www.comune.asti.it/index.php?id_sezione=943

One of the oldest Palio’s in Italy this colourful event sees 21 contestants relive the ancient tradition of the Palio in the historic centre of this charming Piedmont town, famous for its sparkling wine, the Asti spumante. In the days preceding the race, visitors can enjoy many collateral and preparatory events: the Palio of the Flag-wavers, the colourful flea market, the trials of the jockeys on the field. The Palio itself is

a difficult challenge requiring all the participants’ strength and skill, passion and courage as only one of them will win possession of the crimson banner with the coat of arms of the city and the image of its Patron Saint. Stefania Gatta Press and communications office Italian National Tourist Board – London NB: Information correct at time of publication, May 2017