Stresa Music Festival 2010

ROMANTICATOURS IS THE OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE STRESA MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Settimane Musicali di Stresa e del Lago Maggiore are with no doubt among the best-known European classical music festivals, every year they offer to their audience performances by internationally famous artists.

In 20010 the Stresa Festival will inaugurate its 49th edition with the Spring Concerts, five open-air events entitled Flowery staves performed in the beautiful gardens of the lake.

Now the first previews about the 2010 Spring Concerts are available!

Saturday, May 8 – 5.00 p.m.
Villa Pallavicino – Stresa
R. Galliano, Love day
Richard Galliano, accordion
Gonzalo Rubalcaba, piano

Sunday, May 16 – 5 p.m.
Congress Hall – Stresa
Goran Bregovic & Wedding and Funeral Band

Saturday, May 22 – 5 p.m.
Congress Hall – Stresa
P. Glass, Koyaanisqatsi – Life out of balance
Philip Glass & Philip Glass Ensemble

And very soon news of all the 2010 Stresa Festival concerts:

Musical Meditations, from July 30 to August 7
Visions, from August 22 to September 5

What’s true in the Italian-stereotype?

Stereotypes always tend to have some truth mixed in with a few generalizations and a bit of exaggeration. Let’s see what’s true in the Italian stereotype!

Spaghetti and pasta in general are sacred. You cannot take pasta away from an Italian meal otherwise it won’t be complete. And a good meal should always be shared with someone else. It is a way to share conversation and jokes, forget about work for a couple of hours and enjoy life. Be assured, an Italian will always find the time to eat properly.

The Mafia is real: we are not proud of it, it is waning, but it still does exists (and we are not alone in this…I’m sure you heard of a Russian, Janapese, Chinese ect…mafia). Obviously, not every Italian is a Mafioso!!! And the great majority will feel offended and insulted if you use the term, even when if you mean it as a joke!

We work hard!. Do you know that Italy is part of the G8? (the 8 most important economies in the world). Yes, Italy is leader in a lot of industrial sectors like Machine tools, Eyewear like Luxottica, Ray-ban, Vogue, Persol, clothing like Brooks Brothers…
Packaging machinery, Precision manufacturing (the new nintendo joystick wii was developed in Italy!) Design, Fashion, Luxury cars and motorcycles (Ducati, Ferrari, Maserati…), Aeronautical transportation, like the new US predidential helicopther! And many more…

Yes, the way we speak is completely original. The most important element of communication are the gestures: the way we move our hands, hold our heads, move our shoulders, our facial expressions, as well as the way we use our eyes and mouths to make ourselves understood. We simply cannot talk without our hands! Italians speak very loudly in public whether on the bus, in the street or on the phone. Don’t worry, we are not all deaf. A lot of foreigners think we are fighting when we talk that way but it’s just the way we are!!

Yes we do enjoy romance (just like everyone else – more or less) and maybe the stereotype of the Italian romantic lover is not completely dead. An Italian guy will never let a girl go home unescorted…

We are also fashion victims: you can recognise Italians by the way they dress from the head to feet (strictly black Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses; Versace suits; Valentino dresses; Prada handbags; tanned skin all year long; perfect make up). We will dress stylishly for every possible occasion. You won’t ever see an Italian wearing sporting short pants combined with long socks: it’s simply against our fashion rules (let alone our sense of style)! 

Why some Italians never get sick?

Limone sul Garda, the lovely town on the Western banks of Lake Garda (province of Brescia) with less than one thousand inhabitants, recently took the international spotlight for the ‘longevity protein’ found in the blood of several of its citizens.  

 

The story of the discovery of Apolypoprotein A-1 Milan began in 1979 when a railway employee, who was born in Limone but had lived in Milan for over 20 years, was hospitalized for a routine check-up.
The test results amazed the doctors: although the patient had very high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, he showed no major clinical symptoms and no damage to arteries and heart. Doctors thought this was very strange: incredible, in fact.

They decided to do more tests and discovered that the patient, his father, and daughter all had the same anomalous protein in their blood, which they called ‘Apolypoprotein A-1 Milan’ (named after the city in which it was discovered).

Limone, which is nestled in between the mountains and the lake, has always been an isolated frontier. Precisely this isolation, combined with a series of fortunate and fortuitous episodes, determined the birth of the famous ‘elixir’ in the blood of the locals.

The New after the Macchia exibition (until January 18 2010)

In Montecatini Terme, in the splendid setting of the Tamerici spa, from , an anthological exhibition will be held dedicated to the Tuscan painters who, in a period of over 30 years (1865 – 1900) gave life to an important and original process of aesthetic and philosophic modernisation. 100 works, 20 of which previously unseen, by 27 artists will be on display (from Giovanni Fattori to Telemaco Signorini, from Filadelfo Simi to Cristiano Banti), from both public and private collections.

For more information and booking: 888 666 3158 or info@romanticatours.com http://www.romanticatours.com

Physics in Florence in the 19th century

From November 8, 2009 to May 9, 2010, the Museum of the History of Science houses a section of the “Firenze Scienza” exhibition, promoted by the Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze in four different museum venues.

The purpose of the exhibition is to evoke the extraordinary period prior to the Unification of Italy when Florence was one of the European capitals of scientific knowledge. In the first half of the XIX century, technological development and interest for science profoundly influenced Italian and European society, with inedited progress in every field of science, from mathematics to physics, from chemistry to biology. Fuelled by the Enlightenment sensitivity for “useful” science, the Galilean tradition became an instrument of social, economic and cultural progress, and was cultivated thanks to the farsightedness of the Lorraine grand dukes of Tuscany.

The exhibition showing at the Museum of the History of Science, curated by Simone Contardi and Mara Miniati, is entitled La Fisica a Firenze nell’Ottocento. Strumenti e macchine da utilizzare (Physics in Florence in the 19th century. Instruments and machines for use). It deals, in particular, with the development of the physical disciplines in the Imperial and Royal Museum of Physics and Natural History, which grand duke Peter Leopold founded in 1775.

The ‘La Specola’ zoology section of the Museum of Natural History houses botanical and anatomical waxes, naturalist artefacts, telescopes, models and filmed sequences on the development of astronomy in the XIX century in the exhibition entitled La Tribuna di Galileo e la Specola fiorentina (The Galileo Tribune and the Florentine ‘Specola’), curated by Fausto Barbagli.

The Fondazione Scienza e Tecnica exhibits the nineteenth-century machines and equipment for teaching the sciences in the Physics Laboratory of the old Istituto Tecnico Toscana in the exhibition, La didattica delle scienze nell’800 (Teaching sciences in the 19th century), curated by Paolo Brenni, Anna Giatti and Guido Gori.

Finally, Palazzo Medici Riccardi hosts Firenze 1829. Arte, Scienza e società (Florence 1829. Art, Science and Society), curated by Silvestra Bietoletti, where paintings, sculptures, drawings, knickknacks and scientific instruments from Italian museums and institutions, and from private collections, illustrate the development and urbanistic progress, the collecting interests and taste of pre-Unification Florence.

For informations and booking: 888 666 3158 or info@romanticatours.com

Rome escorted Cruiser Bike Tour

The Cruiser Bike Tour is the most appropriate to visit the entire historical center of Rome in less time then simply walking from the Colosseum to the Imperial Forums, from the Vatican City to the beautiful Piazza di Spagna and much more! Our Escorted Cruiser Bike Tours is very fun for the whole family, individual and groups who would like to discover Roma with an expert Tour Leader, so Enjoy Rome with us! Well be happy to offer a complementary bottle of water to refresh you during your bike tour.
Our knowledgeable Tour Leader with an audio guide MP3 player will share the diverse history of the area as you pedal along the historic center of Roma and you will be given the opportunity to take pictures.

FOR RESERVATIONS CLICK HERE

Cheese and Wine Tasting in Florence

Gourmands and wine connoisseurs alike, lap up an afternoon in Florence tasting an assortment of cheeses and Tuscan favorites on this exclusive adult’s only food-lovers’ tour.

Set in a Florentine wine bar, this small group (maximum 12 people) offers the ideal opportunity to taste locally sourced cheeses accompanied by the many flavors of figs, truffle honey and aromatic strawberry vinegar.

With your distinguished sommelier to guide you, youll match four traditional Tuscan wines with a luscious spread of locally sourced produce. A sample tasting may include:

1 glass of white wine Vernaccia di San Gimignano accompanied by Brie and Acacia’s honey
1 glass of red wine Chianti colli Senesi DOCG accompanied by Pecorino di Fossa Cheese and strawberry aromatic vinegar
1 glass of red wine Brunello di Montalcino Tiezzi accompanied by Pecorino Cheese and figs
1 glass of red wine SuperTuscan Noir accompanied by fruits of the forest and goat cheese

It’s the ideal opportunity to lull away an afternoon in Florence, meet like-minded travelers and sip regional wines, while tales of cheese and Italian delicacies evoke and tantalize your taste buds!

Arena di Verona: Musical Conversation and WINE TASTING

FOR RESERVATIONS CLICK HERE

You will have the opportunity to spend a stimulating afternoon in an intimate atmosphere exploring the world of musical drama and tasting prestigious local wines and appetizers chosen for the occasion

Anteprima Opera (Introduction to the Opera) is a pre-performance talk, whose aim is to introduce the audience to the plot and the main aspects of the opera event, which will take place on the same evening at the Arena amphitheatre.

We offers the guests the opportunity to spend a stimulating afternoon in an intimate atmosphere exploring the world of musical drama and tasting prestigious local wines and appetizers chosen for the occasion.

This is also the perfect occasion to meet the protagonists of the Arena di Verona Summer Opera Festival offering fascinating insights into the opera, which will be performed on the same evening.
The artists will sing accompanied by the piano and will guide the audience through the plot, the music and the composer’s life.

PROGRAM
Musical Conversation with Wine Tasting

18.15: Meeting at the Verità Poeta palace, in the city centre;
18.30: “Guided listening” of the Opera in program the same evening in the Arena, with piano, Maestro and Soloists;
19.15: “Wine tasting” of one of the best Doc wines presented by the wine Producer himself.
19.30: End of program.

Rate includes: entrance, libretto, musical conversation, talks in Italian with English and German translation. The buffet and the tickets for the opera are not included.
For the same event including the cocktail buffet, please click here.

ARENA VERONA CALENDAR

18 June – 1, 16, 24, 30 July – 13, 20 August
Turandot
di Giacomo Puccini

19, 25 June – 3, 8, 13, 18, 22, 25, 27, 31 July – 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 26, 29 August
Aida
di Giuseppe Verdi

26 June – 2, 9, 14, 17, 21, 28 July – 6 August
Madama Butterfly
di Giacomo Puccini

10, 15, 20, 23, 29 July – 12, 18, 21, 24, 27 August
Carmen
di Georges Bizet

7, 11, 14, 19, 25, 28 August
Il Trovatore
di Giuseppe Verdi

Arena di Verona: Musical Conversation and COCKTAIL DINNER

FOR RESERVATIONS CLICK HERE

You will have the opportunity to spend a stimulating afternoon in an intimate atmosphere exploring the world of musical drama and tasting prestigious local wines and appetizers chosen for the occasion

Anteprima Opera (Introduction to the Opera) is a pre-performance talk, whose aim is to introduce the audience to the plot and the main aspects of the opera event, which will take place on the same evening at the Arena amphitheatre.

We offers the guests the opportunity to spend a stimulating afternoon in an intimate atmosphere exploring the world of musical drama and tasting prestigious local wines and appetizers chosen for the occasion. A

This is also the perfect occasion to meet the protagonists of the Arena di Verona Summer Opera Festival offering fascinating insights into the opera, which will be performed on the same evening.
The artists will sing accompanied by the piano and will guide the audience through the plot, the music and the composer’s life.

PROGRAM
Musical Conversation with Wine Tasting

Anteprima OPERA Musical Conversation with Wine Tasting and Typical Cocktail Buffet
18.15: Meeting at the Verità Poeta palace, in the city centre;
18.30: “Guided listening” of the Opera in program the same evening in the Arena, with piano, Maestro and Soloists;
19.15: “Wine tasting” of one of the best Doc wines presented by the wine Producer himself.
19.30: End of the first part. Those wishing to remain can attend the typical “Cocktail Buffet” with the best foods of Verona;
20.30: End of program. Stroll towards the Roman Arena;
21.00: Start of performance in the Arena

ARENA VERONA CALENDAR

18 June – 1, 16, 24, 30 July – 13, 20 August
Turandot
di Giacomo Puccini

19, 25 June – 3, 8, 13, 18, 22, 25, 27, 31 July – 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 26, 29 August
Aida
di Giuseppe Verdi

26 June – 2, 9, 14, 17, 21, 28 July – 6 August
Madama Butterfly
di Giacomo Puccini

10, 15, 20, 23, 29 July – 12, 18, 21, 24, 27 August
Carmen
di Georges Bizet

7, 11, 14, 19, 25, 28 August
Il Trovatore
di Giuseppe Verdi

Rate includes: entrance, libretto, musical conversation, talks in Italian with English and German translation, wine tasting and cocktail buffet.
Entrance tickets for the opera are not included.

SOME IDEAS FOR THIS WINTER IN ITALY….

TORINO FILM FESTIVAL:
Torino – 11/13/2009 -11/21/2009
The world renowned international metropolitan Festival showcases feature films, documentaries, shorts and a space dedicated to artists from Piedmont . The schedule includes different events such as 93Festa Mobile 94, 93Onde 94, 93Figli e amanti 94 and additional sections that offers viewers the opportunity to enjoy the year 92s most wonderful movies. Torino Film Lab is part of the Torino Film Festival.

SUPER – NEOBAROQUE ITINERARIES AMONG ART AND DESIGN
Lecce – 05/01/2009 -12/31/2009
A series of exhibitions and performances are scheduled that offer to the public undiscovered cultural itineraries in the Salento, from its baroque architectural treasures, to its vision of contemporary art and design.

DANTE’S INFERNO IN THE CAVES IN PERTOSA
Salerno – 06/01/2009 – 12/31/2009
Grotte dell’Angelo in the Cilento National Park are a natural and most charming stage for Dante’s Inferno, repeated through 11. Every weekend Dante leads the audience through tunnels in the mountain, going from cave to cave, to meet Paolo and Francesca, Ulysses, Minos, Count Ugolino, and many others. This is an extraordinary show, with unpublished music and new installations that stretches for a kilometer through the Grottedi Pertosa and Dante’s imaginary world.

ROME – CARAVAGGIO/BACON
Rome – 02.10.2009 – 24.01.2010
Rome’s Galleria Borghese celebrates 400 years since Caravaggio’s death with Caravaggio-Bacon, an exhibition displaying masterpieces by two extreme artists. Both painters are known for digging into the mystery of existence to produce visually provoking representations of human torment.

REMBRANDT, GAIGUIN, PICASSO
March 14th 2010 – CASTEL SISMONDO, Piazza Malatesta, 47900 Rimini
Boston in Rimini. Sixtyfive masterpieces , from Rembrandt to Velasquez, Van Dyck, Tiepolo, Manet, Gauguin, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Matisse amongst the most admired of the beautiful “Collection of european arts” from the Museum of Fine Arts of Boston, will be exceptionally be housed in Rimini in Castel Sismondo, the Rocca Malatestiana in the heart of the city.