This edition will be subdivided into 3 different sections: “Miti”, which focuses on the esthetics and the beauty of physical movements linked to the music, “Scene dagli anni Ottanta”, which comes back to the origins of contemporary times through some of the masterpieces of dance’ history, and “Platel e les ballets C de la B”, which explores the op position between pain and hope through the enchanting poit of view of Alain Platel and his company.

Torinodanza festival 2010 will be inaugurated with Balanchine-Kylián of the Royal Ballet of Flanders on Tuesday 7th September at Teatro Regio in Turin with its first Italian premiere. The company from Belgium will arrive to Turin with three titles: Theme and Variations by George Balanchine, Forgotten Land and 27’ 52” by Jirí Kylián.

The second show offered by Torinodanza will be “you PARA │ DISO”, which will include one of the most famous choreographer in Europe, the Italian Emio  Greco, who now lives in Amsterdam. The show will go on the stage on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th September at Fonderie Limone in the town of Moncalieri. After HELL and [purgatorio] POPOPERA, you PARA│DISO will end the cycle inspired from the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, with a choreography that wants to reveal the deepest memory of body.

The second section, “Scene dagli anni Ottanta”, will come back to make us think about the power of the 80s. on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd October, the company Rosas will be present at the Cavallerizza Reale with Rosas danst Rosas, with the choreography by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. The show will focus on the representation of tensions and the contrast between rationality and emotions.

The third section, “Platel e les ballets C de la B” will take place together with Prospettiva 2, the theater festival connected to contemporary times at the Teatro Stabile in Turin, this year at its 2nd edition.

With the director and choreographer Alain Platel we will explore the op position between suffering and the need of revenge, between pain and hope: the secret of human life.

On Friday 29th and 30th October, at Cavallerizza Reale, there will be the Italian premiere of “Primero erscht”, the new creation by Lisi Estaras with les ballets C de la B.

On 9th and 10th November at Fonderie Limone in Moncalieri, there will be “Out of Context - for Pina”, in order to pay homage to the great artist Pina Bausch.

Finally on Friday 15th October, an Extra section at Teatro Carignano will present “Another Sleepy Dusty Delta Day” a dance solocreated in 2008 by the master of contemporary art Jan Fabre together with Ivana Jozic.
Further information about events in Turin are available on the website www.aboutturin.com

The ancient Palio of the Gulf is part of the many traditional events taking place in La Spezia, a town surrounded by mountains and the sea, and every year it takes place the 1st Sunday of August in front of the waterfront “Morin”.

The Palio is a challenging rowing race among 13 fishing boats handmade by local craftsmen, with peculiar features for making them faster in water.

Probably, it takes its origins from the challenge among the crews of fishing boats in the waters of the Gulf of La Spezia (or Gulf of the Poets), where there is mussels farming (or “muscoli” as the citizens call them).

In the past, such races were very important because the winner could have the priority in discharging goods and fish, rising in this way their profit.

And still nowadays, this challenge is very expected and beloved by all the citizens of La Spezia, especially by the borgate (districts and towns taking place in the competition): Porto Venere, Le Grazie, Fezzano, Cadimare, Marola, CRDD (Circolo ricreativo dipendenti difesa), Canaletto, Fossamastra, Muggiano, San Terenzo, Venere Azzurra, Lerici and Tellaro.

However, the Palio is more than a race, is the heart of the city, is culture, art and many events scheduled in the works:

On 23rd July at 8.30 pm: inauguration of Villaggio del Palio, along the waterfront Morin and the exhibition “Sommergibili nel Golfo” created by The Historical Maritime Society.

From Saturday 24th to 28th July at 9 pm: five evenings of debates dedicated to the sea for making the public aware of climate change and the safeguard of the environment. The presence of Dario Vergassola is scheduled for such evenings.

In addition, from 28th July to 1st August there will be the Summer National Games “Special Olympics” of rowing, with crews, made up of athletes with or without intellectual disability.

The Palio of the Gulf in La Spezia will start on Sunday 1st August at about 7.30 pm: two thousands meters in about 10 minutes. The day will end up with fantastic fireworks at 10.30 pm.

La Spezia in Liguria waits for you in great numbers to watch the 85th Palio of the Gulf and enjoy the several events organized by the city.

For further information about Liguria, beaches in Liguria, islands in Liguria and much more, visit our travel guide to Liguria: www.aboutliguria.com

The 78th edition of the event “Estate Musicale Chigiana” has begun on Sunday 18th July with a concert of Sofia Festival Orchestra, and the next appointment is scheduled for Saturday 24th July with the cello Antonio Meneses, followed by Joaquin Achucarro at the piano on Tuesday 27th.

Also in August, the appointments will be many: from 4th to 25th, several concerts are scheduled, having has protagonists instruments such as viola, violin, cello, piano, double bass, clarinet and some of the greatest international artists.

But the summer dedicated to the music in Siena continues. As a matter of fact, the great Siena Jazz Festival 2010 comes back to wonder spectators with great guests from all over the world.

From Friday 23rd July until 7th August 2010, the Fondazione Siena Jazz, the institution for high quality jazz training, once again organizes this great musical event, with the presence of great artists coming from America and Europe.

Where is Siena Jazz Festival 2010? Obviously in the most charming and striking places of the city! Jam sessions and extraordinary live performance will wait for you.

This year, visitors will find on the stage great international names such as John Taylor, Aaron Goldberg, Michael Blake, Jim Snidero, John Riley, Kenny Werner, Bobby Watson, Avishai Cohen, Glenn Ferris, Seamus Blake, Drew Gress, Ferenc Nemeth, Reuben Rogers, Eric Harland, Anders Jormin, Peter Bernstein, Ben Monder, Kenny Wheeler, Joel Frahm, Scott Colley, Omar Avital and Jeremy Pelt.

In addition, also many Italian artists will be present, such as Riccardo Del Fra, Stefano Battaglia, Bruno Tommaso, Furio Di Castri, Pietro Leveratto, Massimo Manzi and many others. On Saturday 24th July, Seminari Estivi (Summer Courses) of Siena Jazz will begin with the Orchestra InJam and the guest Gless Ferris.

The last two appointments are scheduled for 5th, 6th and 7th August at Enoteca Italiana (at 9.45 pm - free entrance) with many bands and jazz artists.

Finally, we remind you another appointment with music in Siena: the 35th edition of Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte in Montepulciano (a small ancient village located near Siena). The event, which was created by the composer Hans Werner Henze, began on 15th July and will continue until 1st August 2010, offering its audience its main feature: the interaction between professional, famous artists and young talents.

Once again, among the green rolling Tuscan hills and the charming Renaissance’ buildings, operas and performances created by famous contemporary authors will be put on the stage for the first time.

This year, the event aims to experimentation and innovation through studies and workshops about techniques for composing and performances.

Tomorrow, on Thursday 22nd July, Recital per violino e pianoforte is scheduled for 6 pm with the violin Eva Thorarinsdottir, and Malcom Forbes and Peckham at the piano, whereas the Concert of Contemporary Music “Ensemble 2 Agosto” is scheduled for 9.30 pm, with an absolute premiere of contemporary music.

This and much more wait for you in the medieval city of Siena, for a summer in the pursuit of music, rich in concerts, live performances and musical courses.

For further information about events in Siena, please visit our online tourist guide to Siena: www.aboutsiena.com.

A not-to-be-missed appointment taking place in Parco San Sebastiano in Rome, which began on the last 11th June and will continue with several events until 15th August 2010.

Parco di San Sebastiano, placed in Via di Porta San Sebastiano, will host this great event for all the lovers of this world, with a revival of the best years of dance music, offering any kind of initiative…cinema, music, theater performances, exhibition stands.

Roma Vintage edition 2010 is a world apart that schedules several appointments: live performances for enjoying dance music hits of those years again, Jazz’n Blues, sport events, cinema reviews and exhibitions. There’s everything for the lovers of 60s, 70s and 80s!

The Cine Vintage and the area “Disco e Performances” are located in the Piazzetta Vintage, the center of the event, and here it is also possible to find wine and food stands.

The area reserved for the cinema wants to promote and give value to the cinematographic culture through many thematic reviews. The area dedicated to the dance music will make visitors feel and live the emotions of those years.

Remember, magical summer nights await you at Parco di San Sebastiano in Rome until 15th August 2010, with the presence of the greatest music of 60s, 70s and 80s, and many exhibitions every day! In addition, we remind you the FREE ENTRANCE.

For further information about events in Rome please visit the online tourist guide to Rome: www.aboutroma.com

Once again, the open-air Gran Teatro Giacomo Puccini will host great guests and breathtaking operas, for a summer rich in music.

As usual, the programme schedules the celebration of eternal melodies composed by the master Giacomo Puccini and wonderful evenings of lyric music will begin, dedicated to one of the most important composers of opera in the world, who was born in the city of Lucca in 1858.

The Festival Puccini 2010 will be inaugurated by La Fanciulla del West (on 16th and 23rd July and 7th August), Puccini’s masterpiece, 100 years after its first premier at Metropolitan Opera in New York, on 10th December 1910.

Later on, there will be other three titles on the playbill:

Madama Butterfly (17th and 25th July – 1st, 14th, 22nd August)

Tosca (24th, 30th July – 8th, 13th, 21st August)

Turandot (31st July – 6th, 12th, 20th August)

We remind you also that the Festival Puccini is not just Opera.

The Festival’s spectators in fact, will have the chance to marvel at one of the greatest female voices in the world, the American soprano Renée Fleming, who will inflame the stage during the Gala Concert on 28th July, with the extraordinary presence of the 15 years old Anthony Arcaini, director and composer, a little genius of music.

Finally, on 11th August, the timeless and overall opera Romeo and Juliet, with the notorious melodies by Sergej Sergeevič Prokof’ev and the dancers of the Imperial Russian Ballet of Gediminas Tarando, Maria Sokolnikova and Alexsander Smolyaninov of the Teatro Bolshoi.

All this and much more waits for you at Gran Teatro Giacomo Puccini in the town of Torre del Lago, in Versilia.

For further information about events in Versilia, please take a look at our tourist guide to Versilia, www.aboutversilia.com

This year the event will take place on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th July 2010, in the charming background of the Lagoon of Venice. On Saturday night, the scenery of San Marco dock will turn into a world of wonderful fireworks, which every year gather thousands visitors.

You will marvel at colors and light plays moving through spires, domes and bell towers of the city. The fireworks will begin at 11.30 pm and will continue until 12 pm and longer.

And as tradition says, at dusk enlightened boats decorated with colored air-balloons come in the San Marco dock and in the Giudecca Channel.

The traditional Festivity of Redentore dates back to 1577, a year reminding the end of a terrible disease, which was celebrated with the construction of the basilica of Palladio on the Giudecca Isle, where visitors nowadays can go and visit by crossing a 330 m long bridge made up of boats. Celebrations include also a religious procession.

Finally, the week-end ends up with the final regatta of gondolas.

Here are the events scheduled for the Festivity of Redentore 2010 in Venice:

SATURDAY, JULY 17th
7.00 pm Celebratory opening of the Thanksgiving Bridge, connecting the Zattere to the Church of the Redentore on the island of Giudecca

11.30 pm Fireworks in St. Mark’s Bay

SUNDAY, JULY 18th
Redentore Regattas, organized by the Municipality of Venice
4.00 pm A children’s twin-oared “pupparini” boat regatta
4.45 pm Twin-oared “pupparini” boat regatta
5.30 pm Twin-oared gondola regatta

7.00 pm
Thanksgiving Mass at the Church of the Redentore on the Giudecca presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Patriarch Angelo Scola, with the city authorities in attendance

Other Events

FRIDAY, JULY 16th
9.00 pm Concert “Mottetti per il Santissimo Redentore” by the Ensamble Barocco Il Sistro, music by Monteverdi, Cavalli, Castello and others - Church of San Salvador (San Marco 4835)

SATURDAY, JULY 17th
9.30 pm Concert by Banda Musicale di Tessera C.C.R.T., traditional venetian music - Fondamenta Zattere (Chiesa dei Gesuati)

8.00 pm Redentore at Forte Gazzera
8.30 pm Fireworks

9.00 pm Redentore in the arena of Piazza Mercato in Marghera

SUNDAY, JULY 18th
11.30 am Marinaressa Gardens opening ceremony, Riva Sette Martiri

Further information about the city of Venice and events in Venice are available on the website www.abouvenice.org

Turin Traffic Free Festival 2010, also this year crowds the Gardens of Reggia in Venaria Reale, with many performances and concerts from July 14th to 17th 2010. A completely free festival, promoted by Regione Piemonte, Città di Torino, Provincia di Torino and Fondazione CRT, which this year is at its 7th edition.

TRAFFIC is a very special appointment that interweaves the notes of music with the colors and shades of cinema and visual arts. You can’t miss such an event!

The festival will start on Wednesday 14th July 2010 in Turin, in the charming background of Piazza Castello, which will host a performance by Charlotte Gainsbourg, a special artist on the borderline between music and cinema.

After the inauguration, Traffic will move to its main stage: the Reggia in Venaria, with 3 special evenings with bands coming from all over the world.

On Thursday 15th July, visitors will have the chance to see Paul Weller, leader of the Jam and known also as The Modfather, and the Specials, who represent the British ska music and for their first performance in Italy, and the Statuto.

On Friday 16th July, we find the rock music of the English group The Klaxons and the rhythm of dance music represented by the Placet Turbo and the Canadian dj and producer Tiga, Erol Alkan and Giorgio Gigli.

Finally, on Saturday 17th, the event will end paying homage to Africa, with the presence of the Nigerian Seun Kuti, Fela’s son, pioneer of Afrobeat, the afro dj Baia degli Angeli and Afrika Bambaataa, founding father of hip hop music in New York.

So guys, you can’t miss such a special event in Turin! Free Music and fun for everyone!

For further information about events in Turin, we remind you the online tourist guide to Turin: www.aboutturin.com

Which is the main theme for this year? The fifth edition of the exhibition has a very eloquent title: “Play Green Creativity”: fun, ecology and creativity interlinked through the artistic use of paper, a simple material being the only protagonist of such an event.

The exhibition will focus on issues like recycling and sustainable development by showing works by international artists coming from all over the world, selected by the competition’s jury. Among the countries represented by the several artists, besides Italy we find Russia, Mexico and England.

Besides the several en plein air installations, many other contemporary art events are scheduled: exhibitions, vernissages, literary meetings, theatre workshops and performances.

In the works, we find four personal exhibitions of artists who use paper as an essential element for expressing their own creativity: Caterina Crepax, Hemmes, Anna Onesti and Hiroaki Asahara. And just this evening, on Thursday July 1st at 6.30 pm, they will be inaugurated at La Cavallerizza: Rituali senza tempo by Anna Onesti, Strappi by Hemmes, Sogni vestiti di Carta by Caterina Crepax and the collective exhibition Amateras.

And of course, such an artistic background couldn’t be without a theatre workshop! Living the Theatre: Teatro Migliorativo/Teatro Verde in fact will focus on the important themes of ecological disasters and will suggest participants new visions of life. The workshop will be held in Lucca, with afternoon and will conclude with a performance. If you would like to take part in the workshop, you have to enroll by July 3rd.

Further information about the city of Lucca, please visit our travel guide to Versilia: www.aboutversilia.com

Such an important historical re-evocation takes place in two different moments: the battle is preceded by a Historical Parade, a sort of military parade taking place along the Arno River. Subsequently, the real Battle is set on the Ponte di Mezzo, where the ancient historical enemy Pisa areas of Mezzogiorno (south of the Arno) and Tramontana (north of the river) will challenge each other in a very exciting atmosphere.

The Tramontana “troops” represent the districts of Santa Maria, San Francesco, San Michele, Mattaccini, Calci and Sartiri, whereas the Mezzogiorno represents Sant’Antonio, San Martino, San Marco, Leoni, Dragoni and Delfini.

During the days preceding the battle, Ponte di Mezzo is carefully set: an instrument in wood, a sort of heavy trolley (seven tons) is set on fifty meters long tracks. The final victory goes to the team that wins the greater number of battles, pushing the trolley into the enemy field and knocking over the staff with the banner with the colors of the enemy team.

If you’ve never visited Pisa before, this is a perfect occasion!

Further information about the city of Pisa are available on the brand new tourist guide to Pisa, www.aboutpisa.info.

We are talking about a very ancient event, which takes its origins in the ceremonies celebrated by the farmers in order to pay homage to the rebirth of vegetation in springtime, because they were aware of the bounty of “mother earth” and knew that good harvests depended on her.

Throughout the years, this event turned into a sort of carnival, with a parade of papier-mâché floats decorated with thousands flowers and colors, and subsequently, with floats covered in a mosaic work made up of flowers. Since 1933, the Battle of Flowers in Ventimiglia became the only original one for good, differing from the other many similar parades on the Riviera for its elegant and artistic flowers arrangements.

Today as in the past, the awakening of nature in Ventimiglia is celebrated in a very original way in such a wonderful corner of Ligurian Riviera, in the province of Imperia. It’s no surprise that the town is one of the greatest flowers producers at international level.

And now let’s talk about the next events: today Monday 21st June at 9 pm there will be many competitions and sport events in the historical centre and the 10th lottery “Battaglia dei Fiori”. In addition, on Friday 23rd July the 5th edition of “Battaglia dei Fiori di Giovani Carristi” will take place starting from 8.30 pm, a competition reserved just to the youth, a parade of floats and masks with confetti, musical bands and much fun.

For further information about Liguria, beaches in Liguria, etc., please visit the website www.aboutliguria.com