BLOOMING SANREMO 2010

According to a tradition, every year in Sanremo, the end of January is reserved for the fragrant floral parade “Corso Fiorito”.
The festival “bloomed” for the first time in 1904 in honor of the Goddess Flora and, since then, it started its annual edition with a brake from 1966 until 1980.
This attractive fusion of colors and scents sees every year over 60 000 visitors, not to mention those who watch it from their homes. Beside the wonderfully decorated coaches, the festival is accompanied by different music bands and folkloristic groups. (more…)

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OTTO HOFMANN. The poetics of Bauhaus

In 2009 the Bauhaus celebrated its 90th anniversary of existence. For this occasion, the Palazzo Ducale of Genoa hosts, from October 2009 until February 14th, 2010, a retrospective exhibition of one of the most important artists from this school: Otto Hofmann.
The exhibition shows us a wide historic path of life of the artist through his work which definently left its mark on the vanguard of the XX century.
Otto Hofmann tells a story of a difficult life, in a very turbulent period which started in the thirties of the XX century, during his stay at the Bauhaus of Dessau. The story continues through years of the Nazi domination and censorship when a lot of his work was confiscated and accused as degenerated art. Then follows the time of the full immersion in the War and the imprisonment in Russia. A precious collection of watercolor paintings shows us the artist’s feelings and state of mind, horrified by the chaos that was spread all over the Europe. (more…)

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Matrix Natura: the Fiber Art on display in Venice

A new expression is rising in the art world, especially among young artists from all over the world, and every year Venice pays homage to its artworks.

We are talking about Fiber Art, in other words, artworks created with textile fibers and materials of animal or vegetable origins. The exhibition is held once again at Palazzo Mocenigo in Venice, this year with a really particular title: “Matrix Natura” and it will be open to the public until August, 31^st.

54 mini textiles (this is the name of Fiber Art works) will be put on view on the first floor of the museum, created by the genius of artists coming from 51 different countries of the world.

Often the works are made up of real (more…)

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The Florence leg of Cavendish and Petacchi

The Giro d’Italia 2009 - at its 92° edition and 100° anniversary this year - Florence leg will see a special competition between an English and an Italian cyclist, both actors of this particular edition of the race.

Yes, because presented on last December at the Gran teatro La Fenice in Venice, the arrival, after 21 legs and 3,395 km, will not be in Milan this year - as usual is, starting from 1950 - but in the capital city of Rome. It could be defined as a backlinks race, from North to South and a little bit to the North again, a very hard race for sprinters taking part on it, even without the usual hard obstacle represented by Alps at the end of the path.

The Tuscan leg of the tour will see the crossover of the provinces of Lucca, Massa Carrara, Pisa and Florence. The Lido di Camaiore - Florence leg is characterized by a pretty linear way of 176Km - with just one exception represented by the Montemagno climb, just a little bit more difficult for participants - ending the race in viale Abram Lincoln in Florence, near to the historic cycle track of the Cascine area. Except for potential intrusion of Farrar, Davis and Goos, the protagonists of such leg will be with no doubt the English cyclist Cavendish and the Italian Petacchi.

Departure of the Tuscan leg will be at 1,25 p.m. and the expected arrival at about 5,00 - 5,30 p.m.

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“Museums at Night” on Saturday 16th May

“Museums at Night” is a really interesting initiative funded by the Ministry of Cultural Activities and Heritage, which will take place on Saturday 16^th May and will allow a late night opening of all national museums.

Museums at Night is an event expressly created for anyone who doesn’t have the chance to dedicate time to cultural interests and to visit the amazing exhibitions in the Italian museums during the ordinary opening hours. So, as culture belongs to everyone, the Ministry of Cultural Activities and Heritage decided to support this initiative to allow all the people who for reasons relating to work or economy, don’t have the chance to visit the extraordinary heritage hosted by our museums.

In fact, the night of Saturday 16^th May, all the national museums which will support the initiative, will stay open until 2.00 AM for free (entry allowed until 1.00 AM).

Together with the museums’ visits, there will be also a long series of other events, to encourage citizens to take part to this event.

Actually, this original initiative has its roots in 2005, in (more…)

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Among Sweet and Salty products, Florence goes crazy for the Town Fairs

In the wake of the carnival which has just ended, Tuscany keeps on celebrating in good taste. Yes, because a competition between Florence and many of the peculiar municipalities in the surroundings has just begun, and the winner will be who will prepare the most bizarre and tastiest gastronomic masterpieces typical of Tuscany traditions.

Scarperia, in the province of Florence, will be the first, in fact it will host the traditional Wild Boar Festival (Sagra del cinghiale), irreplaceable yearly appointment which this year will take place on February 28^th, March 1^st, 7^th, 8^th 2009.

At the festival you will find (more…)

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The Last Samurai at Royal Palace of Milan

In the next few days, Milan will be the protagonist of a really special exhibition: Gli Ultimi Samurai (The Last Samurai).

In fact, from February 25^th to June 2^nd, many materials, objects, drawings and accessories all belonging to the legendary world of the Samurai, will be put on display in the halls of the Royal Palace, and they will be very useful to reenact the Edo period of the Japanese history, that is to say the one included between 17^th and 19^th century.

This exhibition boasts of the primacy to be the first exhibition in Europe entirely dedicated to the Samurais, myth and legend which from time immemorial fascinated the western world. In addition, besides the loans of the collections of eastern art coming from the Sforza Castle, this exhibition will be enriched with the extraordinary presence of (more…)

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The Biennial starts again: Theatre Festival of Venice

Once again the Venice Biennale presents its extraordinary session dedicated to the Theatre.

From February 20^th to March 8^th in fact, the 40^th edition of Biennale Theatre will start, a really important event, which every year puts on display in Venice and Mestre some of the most beautiful Italian and foreign theatre operas.

In April, the Biennale Theatre will house the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement award ceremony to Irene Papas, and it will be followed by the performances on stage at Teatro Goldoni and Teatro Toniolo.

In addition, this year it was decided to let the whole event revolve around (more…)

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History reflected on the Murano Glass

Finally in Venice a big exhibition has been organized, dedicated to one of the most important resources of the city: glass.

Until the 1st of May 2009, you will have the chance to admire about 135 works, never shown before, exposed in the incredible scenery of the Glass Museum of Murano. “Ritrovare il Museo: Murano 1797 - 1859” was an idea started with the aim of increasing the value of the art of glass which gave popularity to Murano in the past, by turning the village into one of the most famous and appreciated places in the world. The event consists of a variety of exhibitions which carefully retrace the history of Murano glass, and giving attention to one peculiar historic moment, which was the fall of the San Marco Republic in 1797 when, due to a variety of incursion by foreign countries, a time of deep economic crisis started and big masters of glass working reacted to it with the use of creativity and deep innovations (more…)

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The Befana is in the gloom with her ugly broken shoes: Long Live the Befana!

Well it’ s true, indeed she’ s not so beautiful, she’ s an ugly and old woman, but the Befana is so nice and kind, and everyone loves to celebrate her! Epiphany in fact, in our country is the funniest moment during Christmas holidays.

Traditions concerning Epiphany are many, and they are different from region to region and from city to city: some of those are really unique and particular. In some Italian cities celebrations have very ancient origins and represent a real event.

In Siena (exactly in Bettolle) for example, the “XXIV Mostra dei Presepi” (”14th Nativity Scene’s Exhibition”) will take place, where each of the 5 quarters of the village sets up its own Presepe in a corner of the old town center, and on 6th January, as every year, the city awards the most beautiful creations.

Still in Tuscany, you can’t absolutely miss the “Cavalcata dei Magi” (”The Magi Ride”) in Florence, the traditional manifestation which every year on the 6th of January goes across the “Paradiso”, that is the area between the Dome and the Baptistery. During this very peculiar event, obviously relative to religious traditions but rich of folkloristic elements, the “Magi” overstep the manifestation’s place riding a horse and bringing gifts, anticipated by a procession of hundreds people among representatives of Calcio Storico, Sbandieratori, Gonfaloni etc.

On the other hand, “Viva la Befana” (”Long live the Befana”) boasts of more than 20 years of traditions. This is a manifestation started in 1986 in Rome, and every 6th of January (more…)

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