At last, spring has come to Italy! The beautiful season seems to be here now and, with her, the music, which will give rise to vibrations in the largest Italian squares, including Rome and Florence.

Yes, because also this year Rome won’t let us down and the great Concerto del Primo Maggio (May Day Concert) comes back with many Italian and international singers, musicians and special guests.

In Italy, like in many other countries, May Day is synonymous with International Workers’ Day, or Labour Day,

Dear big screen’s addicts, even though it’s still very young – but already successful, it has got what it takes, the 6th Video Festival Città d’Imperia comes back in the Ligurian city from April, 12th to 16th 2011.

The cinema competition received 688 works coming from 41 different countries.

The official selection presents many titles related to many different themes, here are some of them: Alla ricerca della vita (Antonio Mano) Animazione Amatori, Sulle tracce dei pinguini in Sud America (Sarah Giannelli) Cat. Explorer Turistico Italy, Le Rendez Fous (Massimo Pibiri) Film Internaz. France, Dentro del bosque (Ecam / Luis Caballero) Film Internaz. Spain, The sinners (Pablo Polledri) Animaz. Internaz. Argentina, Profezie Maja e cerchi nel grano (Luca Trovellesi Cesana) Doc. Professionisti,

The Museum of Oriental Arts (MAO) in Turin often organizes exhibitions in order to show at best the unknown and charming traits of the countries which have always been defined as Oriental.

This spring, it will put on display what is difficult to put as a show: music.

Until April, 21st, a series of themed meetings will crowd the exhibitions’ agenda of the Museum: a series of traditional and popular music concerts, untouched by modern influences, from many Asian countries will go shoulder by shoulder with movies and documentaries, most of all never published, and meetings with musicians and musicologists to make the universe in which those melodies developed and

We’re nearly arrived to the 150 years of Italian Unity eve and we’re all waiting curiously and quite impatiently for the celebrations in Italian cities to come.

Lots of exhibitions, events, lessons and many kinds of initiatives are already ongoing for a few days, in some cases also for months, dedicated to patriotism and to Risorgimento, a whole Italian riot movement against foreign oppressors and against devided Italian States for the unification of the country.

In January a list, available in full version in the celebrations official web site, has also been drawn with “Luoghi della memoria” (Memorial sites), monuments, squares and streets, often in state of neglect and forgetfulness, calling back the memory to the facts that led to the Unity. Amog them there are the Monumento alla Difesa in Venice, Parco del Gianicolo in Rome, Monumento a Garibaldi and Lungomare di Quarto dei Mille, Santa Croce in Firenze, Monumento alle Cinque Giornate in Milan, the Primo Parlamento Italiano in Palazzo Carignano , Turin,

Coming from the great success of previous editions, returns this year crispier than ever DanzaInFiera, the fair involving all kind of dance, from classical ballet to hip hop moves, from Latin-American to contemporary dance. Florence, once again, offers itself to host this international-reaching event in Fortezza Da Basso, the structure known all over Italy as base for many expositions and shows capturing every year thousands of visitors.

This year, the organizers of DIF forecast a greater stream of people, staking it all on free lessons, special guests, auditions, and the presence of a huge number of schools and academies with their own stands.

The fair will last 4 days full of exhibitions and lessons you surely

The new Viareggio Carnival edition is just around the corner: the Versilia’s city is getting ready to welcome again thousands of visitors coming from all around the world to marvel at the famous ornamental floats that will parade along seafront streets, leaving the hangar situated in Cittadella del Carnevale, the place where carts are built by the skilled masters.

Born in the second half of 19th century, such a Carnival completely absorbs the inhabitants in organizing activities and active participation, rending it the main city of Viareggio-associated event. Nowadays, the Carnival doesn’t bring only confetti and celebrating floats, but also a lot of fringe events, sporting and cultural ones.

On Saturday February, 19th a fireworks display from 18:00 will be the starter shot to this 2011 edition,

When the sun goes down and lights start to enlighten Lungarno (the roads along Arno’s banks) and the city center’s arrow streets, Florence takes a new face.

The city known all over the world for its culture closes its museums, libraries and historical buildings and shops signs turn off, while counters and tables are prepared for a new exciting night.

The most popular district in Florence for the night entertainment is with no doubt Santa Croce: in such a famous square and in many pubs open all night long, thousands people drink and have fun together.

The most famous of such pubs surely is Red Garter, the oldest American bar in Florence and in Italy, which 48 years after its opening is a vital stop for ones visiting the city.

Always careful for clients’ requests, this pub is constantly evolving, remaining

The 150th anniversary of Italian Unity worths special appointments: so, while all the main Italian cities prepare their own contribution to this event to make March an unforgettable month, Venice Carnival second-guess everyone for a week.

On the occasion of 150th, indeed, the city decided to extend its main festival making it two weeks longer and to regain themed Carnival tradition: this edition is entitled “Ottocento – da Senso a Sissi, la città delle donne” (Nineteenth century – from Senso to Sissi, women’s city), which is going to combine dresses and hairdos of 19th century with women’s celebrations.

Beyond national holiday, the inspiration came from the concurrence

Preparatives for the next edition of Sanremo Festival dedicated to Italian songs are already twitching for months.

The much-talked-about hosts’ cast will be leaded by the singer Gianni Morandi (one of the most famous voices in Italy since 1964) joined by Elisabetta Canalis, and Belen Rodriguez with special appearance by Luca Bizzarri and Paolo Kessisoglu, the TV comic team coming from “Le Iene” (one of the most followed programs in Italy).

Many guests will alternate on Teatro Ariston stage in Sanremo and most of them will be last-minute announced.

This edition will take place in five consecutive nights, from February, 15th to 19th,

After waiting for presents on Christmas Eve, Christmas lunches and dinners here it comes the end of year 2010 and everyone wants to start in a good mood, in a way or another.

Every year, lots of traditions are performed in Italy to ensure a happy and lucky new year: wearing red underwear, Ancient Romans’ symbol of blood and war used to exorcize fears, eating lentils, grapes or pomegranate to assure money as much as the number of grains you are able to eat, and, of course, shooting fireworks, originally coming from Ancient China where they used to shoot them to fear evil.

In recent years, besides private