Magic Italy - Summer edition by ACI

1 - issue 0 - summer 2009 year

Abruzzo

Seven sides of

galleries/beauty reborn in Brera - ceretto/the art of wine - design at the triennale/when the ordinary becomes extraordinary - rhapsody in blue/a mediterranean symphony of colors and landscapes travelogue/2009 summer season: whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on in Italy - marchesi/our diversity makes us unique

W e l c o m e

t o

i ta ly

Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister of Italy

would like to take this opportunity to extend my warmest welcome to representatives of the G8 member nations who have come here to L’Aquila, a town that will spend three days as both a capital of suffering and capital of the world. The Italian government, responsible for organizing the 2009 G8 convention, chose to make a strong symbolic statement by moving the summit from La Maddalena to L’Aquila, where the reconstruction of an incredibly beautiful artistic city destroyed by earthquake is now the backdrop for governments working together to recreate the foundations and regulations necessary for a new, solid and long-lasting period of international economic development. For this city and the people of Abruzzo, who were forced to face the most difficult challenge of their more than 2,000-year history when a powerful earthquake struck last April 6, the G8 summit represents an extraordinary, much-welcomed commitment. Proof that it is extraordinary can be found in this ruined, precarious landscape, as well as in the great sense of responsibility, dignity and participation with which the Abruzzese people – I am certain – will welcome members of the 26 countries that represent the world economy, just as they have welcomed until now the work the Italian government has undertaken to bring the region back to normalcy as quickly as possible. As an international event, the G8 (which will become

the G14 on the second day, and the G26 on the third) also confirms the solidarity and generosity expressed by countries friendly with Italy for L’Aquila and the Abruzzese population. These countries have confirmed their willingness to help restore Abruzzo’s most important monuments and artworks, joining in the solidarity already expressed by the Italian people. As paradoxical as it may seem, in the days following the earthquake Abruzzo showed the world not only its wounds, but also its natural and cultural treasures, its ability to welcome guests and the local traditions and culture that make it one of the most striking regions in Italy. Abruzzo, a land of surprising diversity, is perfectly in harmony with the extraordinary “system” that is Italy, a system established through centuries of hard work and creativity, through the stratification of diverse cultures capable of providing the world with the highest possible examples of art and human ingenuity. Here, all this takes place in a marvelous natural context for which we have only God to thank. This is why Italy is magic. This is why its piazzas, coasts, churches, music and innumerable artworks exhibited in museums everywhere draw visitors from all over the world. Once again welcome, dear friends. Welcome to Italy. I am sure that your presence and attention are the best means for serenely and enthusiastically building a common, shared future together.

Tourism

6 A bimonthly of Italian tourism, culture and current events Year 1 - Issue 0 - Summer 2009

Published by Ku Comunication srl Via Carlo Emanuele I, 35 00185 Roma

Registered with the Tribunale Civile di Roma Sezione Stampa e Informazione June 30, 2009 Cover photo Agenzia Marka Collaborators Denise Boffi, Francesca Bonomi, Ivan Crescenzi, Damiano Gullì, Amanda J. Hill, Samantha Lodetti, Aaron Maines, Gualtiero Marchesi, Arianna Nespolon, Leonardo Piccinini, Cesare Pillon, Paolo Pizzato, Chicco Ronchetti, Nello Ruggiero, Alfredo Rossi, Anna Venturini, A. Voglino, Riccardo Volpi Photos Agenzia Marka, Agenzia Sime, Archivio Festival Puccini, © Archivio Grazia Neri, Artefoto, Carlo E. Bevilacqua, Bruna Biamino, Michele Drosera, Corrado Maria Falsino, Maki Galimberti, Granataimages.com, G.U. Haut, Marisa Montibeller (Fototeca Trentino SpA), Serena Nonnis, Photomovie, Marino Presta (Magie di Roma), Leo Luciano Romano, Tips Images, Torri, Loris Zambelli Tortoi Special thanks to Alitalia, APT Abruzzo (Archivio Carsa Edizioni), La Triennale di Milano, Pinacoteca di Brera, Trenitalia, Mirco Zanghì Info Ku Comunication srl (+39) 06 80692212 (+39) 347 7779128 info@kucomunication.com Graffiti srl (+39) 02 89693429 (fax) graffiti@graffitisrl.net

Learn to love one of the most fascinating and least well known regions of Italy. Seven suggestions for an unforgettable voyage into art, history and nature.

Art

Ceretto

Printed by Fratelli Spada SpA, Via Lucrezia Romana, 60 00043 Ciampino (RM)

The Minister

Discover 7 sides of abruzzo

Editor in Chief Pierluigi Ronchetti Graphic design and editorial production Graffiti Media Factory Federico Fiecconi

Cover story

Beauty reborn in brera The Brera Pinacoteca has just celebrated its 200th anniversary. Masterpieces by Raphael and Canova were restored for the occasion.

the art of wine

A journey into the “Barolo Brothers” kingdom, where Italian excellence is the result of a perfect balance between generations past and future.

Design W h e n t h e o r d i n a ry b e c o m e s E x t r a o r d i n a ry The Triennale Museum: a transformative experience that reinvents itself annually, embodying the genius of Italian design.

Feelings

Summer 2009

Taste of Italy

Rhapsody in blue

Between sea and sky: take a trip through extraordinary images from different Italian regions.

T r av e l o g u e

Discover what’s going on in Italy from July to September.

our diversity makes us unique World-renowned Milanese chef Gualtiero Marchesi shares an insider’s secrets of Italian cuisine.

Michela Vittoria Brambilla

Dear readers, you are now holding the debut issue of a magazine that was created to support and stimulate Italian tourism. Italy’s natural beauty, artistic and cultural richness and culinary wonders all combine to make this country an extraordinary tourism destination, a blend of enormously attractive potential. This inestimable treasure merits special attention, and my ministry was created specifically to establish a global strategy – one that has been lacking for far too long – in a sector that single-handedly accounts for 11% of Italy’s GDP. It is a complex system with many diverse aspects, all of which must be taken advantage of and rendered harmonious. First with a strong commitment to infrastructure, which must favor, facilitate and simplify national and international tourist flows. This happens through special accords with tour operators, as well as through a major personnel certification project that will guarantee industry professionals respect the same high level of hospitality our country has always been famous for. The tourism industry needs to rationalize both creativity and flexibility in order to accommodate increasingly well-informed tourists. This enormous treasure must be communicated first and foremost to those who think of Italy only in terms of a few seasonal attractions. Magic Italy - The magazine was created in order to introduce the world to the immense resources of a country that is ready to be, in every season and for anyone who comes to visit, an experience at once enjoyable, moving and enriching.

Tourism

6 A bimonthly of Italian tourism, culture and current events Year 1 - Issue 0 - Summer 2009

Published by Ku Comunication srl Via Carlo Emanuele I, 35 00185 Roma

Learn to love one of the most fascinating and least well known regions of Italy. Seven suggestions for an unforgettable voyage into art, history and nature.

Art

Ceretto

Printed by Fratelli Spada SpA, Via Lucrezia Romana, 60 00043 Ciampino (RM)

The Minister

Discover 7 sides of abruzzo

Editor in Chief Pierluigi Ronchetti Graphic design and editorial production Graffiti Media Factory Federico Fiecconi

Cover story

Beauty reborn in brera The Brera Pinacoteca has just celebrated its 200th anniversary. Masterpieces by Raphael and Canova were restored for the occasion.

the art of wine

A journey into the “Barolo Brothers” kingdom, where Italian excellence is the result of a perfect balance between generations past and future.

Design W h e n t h e o r d i n a ry b e c o m e s E x t r a o r d i n a ry The Triennale Museum: a transformative experience that reinvents itself annually, embodying the genius of Italian design.

Feelings

Summer 2009

Taste of Italy

Rhapsody in blue

Between sea and sky: take a trip through extraordinary images from different Italian regions.

T r av e l o g u e

Discover what’s going on in Italy from July to September.

our diversity makes us unique World-renowned Milanese chef Gualtiero Marchesi shares an insider’s secrets of Italian cuisine.

Michela Vittoria Brambilla

Nature

discover 7 sides Tastes

Heart and Emotions

Wild Animals

Abruzzo

Water and Sunlight

cover story Learn to love one of the most fascinating and least well known regions of Italy. Seven suggestions for an unforgettable voyage INTO art, history and nature

Photos GraziA NERI/GRANATA/MARKA/SIME/TIPSIMAGES/ARCHIVIO CARSA EDIZIONI

The Sacred and Mysterious

Ancient Towns

Nature

discover 7 sides Tastes

Heart and Emotions

Wild Animals

Abruzzo

Water and Sunlight

cover story Learn to love one of the most fascinating and least well known regions of Italy. Seven suggestions for an unforgettable voyage INTO art, history and nature

Photos GraziA NERI/GRANATA/MARKA/SIME/TIPSIMAGES/ARCHIVIO CARSA EDIZIONI

The Sacred and Mysterious

Ancient Towns

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1 Nature Dolomites and Tibet

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Three Italian national parks (including the historic Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise park, first created in 1923), a regional park and more than 30 reserves and naturalistic oases… Abruzzo is one of the green hearts of Europe, with roughly one third of its territory enjoying protected status. Here visitors will find a vast range of mountainous landscapes: from the broad stretches of the Gran Sasso and Altipiani Maggiori to mountaintops that remind you of the Dolomites; from the deep canyons of Majella to the vast forests of Laga; from rolling plains to snowy peaks, from waterfalls to wide valleys. All are easily accessible by visitors year-round, making the Abruzzo experience a global model from an environmental point of view. The entire region is dominated by the Gran Sasso (1 and 6), the highest mountain in the Apennines and the historical cradle of Alpinism. Among its seven peaks lies the Calderone glacier, the only glacier in the Apennines and the southernmost in Europe. The base of Gran Sasso opens into valleys and mountain plateaus, like Campo Imperatore (4), also known as “Little Tibet.” Along the mountain’s rises and fields it is easy to run across a “Tholos hut” (2), called “pajare” in the local dialect. The Tholos were built starting in ancient times and continuing all the way into the 1950s using the same system, setting stones together without the use of any cement. Each ring of stones was simply placed on the ring beneath it, moving just a centimeter or two inwards at a time. This way, once the building reached the top, a single final stone could be set atop all the others, as if by magic. The Rio Verde waterfalls (5), located on the border between Abruzzo and Molise, and the Gole del Sagittario (3), are both well worth a visit.

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1 Nature Dolomites and Tibet

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3 Heart and Emotions Falling for feelings both sweet and strong

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2 Tastes The triumph of traditional cooking You won’t find a kitchen in Abruzzo that doesn’t have a “guitar” on display. We’re not talking about the traditional musical instrument, but rather a tool used to produce Abruzzo’s famous pasta alla chitarra (1), which takes its name from the wooden frame with thin steel wires that is used to cut and create this kind of pasta. Fara San Martino, a town located on the eastern side of the Majella, can lay claim to being one of the pasta capitals of the world: over centuries the purity of its mountain spring waters and the excellent durum wheat grown on its hills have favored the rise of a local pasta industry specialized in producing excellent dried pastas that have won over gourmands across the globe. Abruzzo is a region of strong flavors: its traditional pastoral roots have helped make Abruzzese cooking at once rural and noble, providing the base for a sapient blend of Mediterranean ingredients and sumptuous flavors. One of the region’s most common first courses is Virtù, a typical dish from Teramo. Many second courses are prepared with lamb or Adriatic fish. Tables are typically loaded with cheeses and salamis like ventricina (3), strong flavors you can enjoy spread over bread, and a wide range of local wines. Red garlic from Sulmona is another specialty, grown and harvested only in the Sulmona basin and Peligna Valley. Abruzzo also boasts excellent extravirgin olive oil (2), with a museum dedicated to the liquid located in Loreto Aprutino. The region is also home to award-winning saffron, cultivated on the Navelli altopiano between the Gran Sasso and Sirente mountains, and universally recognized as the best in the world. Last but not least, enjoy local desserts, from the Abruzzese cicerchiata - a sort of doughnut created with little balls of fried dough bound together with candied fruit and honey - to the region’s famous Sulmona candies. 10

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The great German poet Goethe might have referred to them as “elective affinities.” An intuitive path, a fit of giddiness, seduction for the eyes, embodied by breathtaking landscapes, architectural wonders, the colors and sounds of popular customs and longstanding farmland traditions. Abruzzo is all this and more, a land for which emotions speak louder than words. Facing the majestic walls of Roccascalegna Castle (3), the visitor is left speechless and stunned. The massive fort, built atop a rocky spur, overlooks a town of the same name, dominating the Rio Sacco valley. Scholars believe that ius primae noctis, a local lord’s right to spend the first night of marriage with any newlywed peasant bride, was first established here halfway through the 17th Century by the Baron Corvo de Corvis. Shock turns into empathy and a desire to stay forever in Rovere (2), where visitors can experience a village-turned-hotel. The entire town, among the most suggestive in the area, does not simply welcome visitors, but invites them in to share local life rhythms and traditions, hosting them in characteristic local buildings that were once abandoned and which today have been perfectly restored as inviting accomodations. Whether here for a single night or a long weekend, tourists and the oldest inhabitants of Rovere wind up as next-door neighbors, both citizens of the same small world. Last but not least, local waters. From the tranquil shores of the heart-shaped Scanno Lake (1) to the Abruzzese seaside, the habitual haunt of fishermen. In this region the daily contest between man and water has its own celebratory monuments spread out along the coast: trabocchi, wooden platforms that end in a suspended net, held up by a wooden pole that is like a slim, powerful finger pointing out over the sea, stretching out into the edge of the Adriatic. As far back as 1200 AD, men have used these safe, comfortable structures to cast their nets in search of food and well-being.

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3 Heart and Emotions Falling for feelings both sweet and strong

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4 Sacred and Mysterious Pathways for the soul

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From Roccamorice we move to the town of Manoppello, at the foot of the northern end of the Majella, where history blends with legend. In the 16th Century, a pilgrim brought scientist Giacomo Antonio Leonelli a veil with the outline of a man’s face complete with long hair and a beard that he claimed was the face of Christ. This image is conserved in the 18th-century Santuario del Volto Santo, or Sanctuary of the Sacred Face (2), where a procession of the faithful is held every year on the second Sunday in May. In the main piazza in nearby Campli, visitors will find the sacred stairway with its 28 oak wood steps. According to tradition, the faithful must climb these steps on their knees, as the six paintings (three on each side) that adorn the monument and portray the passions of Christ suggest, imploring God’s pardon for their sins. Finally, a visit to Gran Sasso d’Italia island, where the San Gabriele dell’Addolorata sanctuary was created, on the very land where Saint Francis had a cenoby built (1). In March, students at middle schools across the Marche and Abruzzo regions come here to pray before taking their final exams.

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5 Wild Animals The ultimate paradise

Hermitages, sanctuaries, monasteries… All testify to the faith that underlies the natural marvels throughout this region. Architectural masterworks nestled within popular religious afflatus, with centuries of tradition and the memories of miraculous events passed down to its inhabitants through stories of myths, saints and the blessed. In Abruzzo, the spiritual path is an extraordinary voyage into the heart of a unique land. The splendid San Bartolomeo in Legio hermitage (3), in Roccamorice speaks of asceticism and meditation. Nestled in beneath a rib of rock in the Santo Spirito valley, the hermitage was the preferred destination of Pietro Angeleri, who rose in 1294 to the heights of the Catholic church, becoming Pope Celestine V, and who loved to spend time here. The small church, almost entirely carved out of the surrounding rock, will take your breath away.

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Abruzzo is also the land of extraordinary and surprising wildlife encounters, where visitors might glimpse species including the Marisican, or Apennine brown bear (1). This bear is timid and standoffish by nature, coming out mostly in the evenings or at night and shying away from people. Today, roughly 100 bears live within the national park. The animal hibernates from December to March, but can easily be seen the rest of the year along mountain slopes, where it hunts for the wild strawberries, apples, blackberries and blackcurrant plants that are its main sources of sustenance.

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Many other animals live here as well, species once spread out across the Apennines and which have now found a natural refuge and protection from extinction here in Abruzzo. This refuge is created thanks to a host of protected areas and connections (known as “Wildlife Corridors”) established between the various parks and reserves. These corridors make it possible to provide a territory that is perfect for highly mobile species, creatures capable of covering as many as one hundred kilometers in just a few days, like wolves, mountain goats and the lynx (2). The feline lynx can range across an area of more than 400 square kilometers, and thus requires an enormous amount of territory in order to survive. Another important inhabitant of the region currently under threat of extinction is the golden eagle, the bird that gave the regional capital - L’Aquila - its name. Three pairs are known to live in the region, and it is easy to spot them when they are soaring across the sky in search of prey. Another star inhabitant, the griffon vulture, was recently successfully reintroduced into the Sirente-Velino park. Thanks to these conservation efforts and the work of the Italian forest rangers who watch over these parks, visitors can enjoy a vast range of fauna. 13

4 Sacred and Mysterious Pathways for the soul

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5 Wild Animals The ultimate paradise

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6 Water and Sunlight From lakes to the sea

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One hundred and thirty-three kilometers of coastline, expanses of sand and green pine forests, rocky cliffs, promontories and hidden bays, busy beaches and solitary shoresâ&#x20AC;Ś The sea around Abruzzo is all this and more. The coastline runs from the mouth of the Tronto River, the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s border with the Marche, all the way to the Foro River, with beaches that stretch as wide as three hundred meters across. In some areas the coast has typical Mediterranean vegetation, with dunes rising up between beaches and pine forests. The Abruzzo seaside is well-equipped to host and entertain visitors, ideal for families looking for large beaches and appropriate tourist structures, for young people who love sports and nightlife, even for elderly visitors who are searching for a convenient, relaxing vacation. Large sections of the coastline are crisscrossed by more than 50 km of bike paths connecting diverse localities. Along this path, between Silvi and Pineto, visitors will find the Torre di Cerrano, or Cerrano Tower. It was once part of a coastal defense system built during the Kingdom of Naples to protect against Turkish invasion. Today the tower has been restored and is now a water biology study center. The coast becomes rocky around Ortona (3), split in many places by rock outcroppings and small coves dividing pebbly beaches. The rich marine life along this stretch of coastline makes it perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving. Further south, towards Vasto and Punta Aderici (5), the beaches are sandy stretches all the way to the border with Molise. Visitors will also find water destinations further inland, with a series of lakes, including the artificial Barrea Lake (1), evocative canyons in Majella National Park (2), and the suggestive Zompo Lo Schioppo waterfall (4).

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6 Water and Sunlight From lakes to the sea

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Abruzzo USER’S MANUAL A look at how to travel to and around the region hosting this year’s G8

By plane From Milano (LIN) 1h 30’ From London (STN) 1h 40’ From Barcelona (GRO) 2h From Berlin (SXF) 1h 55’ From Frankfurt (HHN) 1h 50’ Abruzzo International Airport - Via Tiburtina Km 229,100 - 65131 Pescara, Italy www.abruzzo-airport.it email: info@abruzzo-airport.it Abruzzo International Airport is located roughly 3 km from the center of Pescara From Pescara to the airport: Bus 38 leaves every 15 minutes from Pescara’s central station. Tickets are 1 euro per person From the airport to Pescara: Bus 38 leaves every 15 minutes from the terminal. Tickets are 1 euro per person, and can be purchased at automatic ticket machines located in the arrival areas

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The small towns of Abruzzo are as calm and quiet as the valleys that surround them, set like diamonds along the mountainsides, crisscrossed by rivers and streams, their lights reflected in the placid mirrors of clear lakes, their small centers rich in history and tradition. The embrace of narrow, winding streets, the feeling that time has come to a standstill amid the stone walls of individual houses, reverberates in the complex simplicity of Abruzzo’s hardworking artisans and craftsmen. The time to work and time to rest have been codified for centuries. Here, like nowhere else, people celebrate and renew the ageless love affair between man and land. The natural wonders of the Sagittario High Valley presage the architectural marvels of Scanno (3), a precious constellation of refined patrician palazzos, fountains, Baroque portals and frescoes. A few kilometers away we find Pacentro (1), which according to legend was founded by the Trojan hero Pacinus. Then comes the proud, splendid town Castello dei Caldora, first founded in the 10th Century. Meanwhile, centuries of quotidian life in these towns is testified to by their ancient public baths and “scandal stones,” large carved masses that people who failed to pay their debts were forced to sit atop naked, exposed to the insults and catcalls of passersby. Another nexus of ancient treasures is tiny Loreto Aprutino (2), located at the crest of a hill in the Tavo River valley. Visitors can reach the town’s historic center, where its most important buildings are located, by crossing through its marvelous Porta Castello, or castle gate. Let yourself be carried away by the splendor of San Pietro Apostolo abbey (11th Century), Palazzo Chiola, Castelletto Amorotti (where the Museo dell’Olio, or Museum of Olive Oil is located) and the 13th-century San Francesco and San Biagio churches. 16

7 Ancient Towns Lands outside time

By car (destination L’Aquila) From Roma: 117 km From Napoli: 297 km From Bari: 411 km From Milano: 610 km By train (destination L’Aquila) From Roma: 2h 50’ From Napoli: 5h 28’ From Bari: 6h 07’ From Milano: 7h 42’ For train schedules and ticket prices, visit: www.trenitalia.it

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For further information www.regione.abruzzo.it www.abruzzoturismo.it www.tuttoabruzzo.it

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Abruzzo Promozione Turismo - Corso Vittorio Emanuele II Pescara, Italy tel. (from Italy) 800 50 25 20 tel. (from outside Italy) (+39) 085 4482301 17

Abruzzo USER’S MANUAL A look at how to travel to and around the region hosting this year’s G8

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7 Ancient Towns Lands outside time

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For further information www.regione.abruzzo.it www.abruzzoturismo.it www.tuttoabruzzo.it

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Abruzzo Promozione Turismo - Corso Vittorio Emanuele II Pescara, Italy tel. (from Italy) 800 50 25 20 tel. (from outside Italy) (+39) 085 4482301 17

B E A U T Y R E B O R N I N B R E R A ART the Brera Pinacoteca has just celebrated its 200 th anniversary. Masterpieces by Raphael and Canova were restored for the occasion By Leonardo piccinini - Photos loris zambelli tortoi/photomovie

THE CRYSTAL ROOM Brera Pinacotecaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open restoration laboratory. Center, Carlo Crivelliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Madonna della Candeletta, currently under restoration.

Raphael’s Lo sposalizio della Vergine (1504), recently returned to its original splendor. In June 1958, the painting was damaged by an act of vandalism when a disturbed man struck at the painting with a metal-tipped hammer, smashing through the glass protecting it and striking the artwork repeatedly.

he year was 1809. On August 15 in Vienna, French Emperor Napoleon spent the night of his fortieth birthday in the house in Schönbrunn park together with his beloved Marie Walewska. At the same time in Milano, capital of the Kingdom of Italy, officials were inaugurating a grand museum, a new “satellite” of the Louvre in Paris: the Brera Pinacoteca. It was an institution of Napoleonic proportions, stocked with artwork the emperor had confiscated from sites across the Italian peninsula, from Lombardia to the Papal States and the ancient Republic of Venice, all exhibited within an edifice that had already been used as a Jesuit school established by Carlo Borromeo, a center for the sciences and art academy under Maria Theresa of Austria. The creation of the new Pinacoteca required colossal construction efforts. The old Santa Maria di Brera church was literally sliced in half. The larger half became a series of four large rooms divided by gigantic columns. At their center stood a plaster statue of l’Empereur, in those days seemingly destined to reign forever. In 2009 the Brera Pinacoteca celebrated its bicentennial. Passionately captained by Sandrina Bandera, Milan’s art and culture authority organized a yearlong series of exhibitions, events and restoration projects for the occasion. One of the key bicentennial events was an exhibition of Caravaggio artworks. The exhibition was held during the first three months of the year, and brought some 150,000 visitors to Brera. This event was followed by the restoration of two masterpieces - Raphael’s Sposalizio della Vergine (Marriage of the Virgin) and Antonio Canova’s Napoleone - considered symbolic of the Pinacoteca. Their restoration is a perfect testimony to the spirit with which the institution was first created. The painting by Raphael (oil on wood, 170 x 118 cm), which the artist produced when he was only 21 years old, is one of the most celebrated artworks of the Renaissance.

PAOLA AND FRANCESCO A series of images showing restoration artist Paola Borghese working on a masterpiece by Francesco Albani, a precious oil on copper painting only recently retrieved from storage. 20

THE EMPEROR IS BACK The plaster sculpture of Napoleon, owned by the Brera academy, today fully restored and returned to its position at the center of the Napoleon rooms. The statue stands an impressive 4.3 meters high, and was brought into the Pinacoteca on special transport and lifted in with a crane.

It was commissioned for an altar in the San Francesco church in Città di Castello, a town that was forced to turn over a considerable number of artworks to Napoleon. Today, outside the church, visitors will find a sign that reads: “Raffaello Sanzio, in the first flower of his youth, painted in this city five paintings, among which was the Sposalizio della Vergine which […] is now in Milano, the envied richness of that city’s extremely rich Brera. Città di Castello takes the high road and suffers.” How can one fault these words? Upon its arrival in Brera, the painting was set within a beautiful neoclassical frame, with bas-reliefs applied in pastiglia (a liquid blend of plaster and glue). Both the painting and the frame were restored within a true technological gem: the “open” restoration laboratory designed by the Sottsass Studio and built with the help of an important contribution from the Pirelli company and the “Friends of Brera” association, first established in 1926 in order to support the Pinacoteca, and today presided over by Aldo Bassetti. The grand Brera building hosts two colossal statues of Napoleon, one in bronze and the other in plaster, both of which are copies of the marble statue that Canova carved for Milano but which was sent first to Paris and then, after the Emperor’s defeat, to London to the residence of the Duke of Wellington, victorious at Waterloo. Today that bronze statue can still be found in its original position, at the center of the courtyard where it was placed in 1859 in honor of Napoleon III following the battle of Solferino. The plaster statue had to wait much longer for its return. It underwent an extremely delicate restoration process at a specialized studio in Florence that restored the artwork’s extraordinary original beauty (the product of a special treatment Canova used on plaster to make it seem like marble). Today the statue has returned to welcome visitors to the Napoleon rooms in Brera.

BRERA MILANO The most prominent art museum in the city, a short walk from the central Duomo

Brera Art Gallery Via Brera, 28 - 20121 - Milano Tel. (+39) 02722631 brera.artimi@arti.beniculturali.it www.brera.beniculturali.it Subway Line 2 (Green) get off at Lanza - Line 3 (Yellow) get off at Montenapoleone Hours Tuesday to Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. (Ticket office closes at 6:30 p.m.) Closed Mondays, January 1, May 1 and December 25 Bookings and info Tel. (+39) 0289421146 (from Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) info@teleart.org Admissions e 10 Full - e 7.50 Reduced

MASTERPIECES From the top, one of the Napoleonic rooms with a large artwork of Saint Mark by the Bellinis; two artworks by Mantegna and Bellini; the Raphael and Piero della Francesca room. 22

Bicentenary membership e 20 entitles you to unlimited entry to the Gallery until February 15, 2010, plus discounts and special deals 23

BRERA MILANO The most prominent art museum in the city, a short walk from the central Duomo

MASTERPIECES From the top, one of the Napoleonic rooms with a large artwork of Saint Mark by the Bellinis; two artworks by Mantegna and Bellini; the Raphael and Piero della Francesca room. 22

Bicentenary membership e 20 entitles you to unlimited entry to the Gallery until February 15, 2010, plus discounts and special deals 23

PIEMONTE Alba more than just wine

In addition to its excellent winemaking tradition, the region around Alba is also famous for high quality foods like the prized Alba truffle and Piemonte P.G.I. hazelnuts.

Production Ceretto’s main products: Bricco Rocche Barolo; Bricco Asili Barbaresco; Arneis Blangé; Moscato dei Vignaioli di Santo Stefano; Dolcetto; Barbera; Langhe Monsordo (right) and Ceretto Grappas.

the art of wine ceretto A journey into the “Barolo Brothers” kingdom, where italian excellence is the result of a perfect balance between generations past and future

PIEMONTE Alba more than just wine

In addition to its excellent winemaking tradition, the region around Alba is also famous for high quality foods like the prized Alba truffle and Piemonte P.G.I. hazelnuts.

the art of wine ceretto A journey into the “Barolo Brothers” kingdom, where italian excellence is the result of a perfect balance between generations past and future

By Cesare Pillon Photos Bruna Biamino/maKi galimberti

here’s tourism and then there’s Tourism. “We have no intention of encouraging the kind that comes on buses,” explains Roberta Ceretto. “That would be a contradiction in terms in this land of prized, exclusive wines like Barolo and Barbaresco. We’re happy to open our doors to visitors, but we only allow small groups - fourteen people at most. We think that is the right size in order to honor their expectations. These are people who pay a great deal of attention to wine, and we try to satisfy their curiosity through a direct approach with our producers.” From this point of view, there is no other company better prepared than Ceretto to satisfy such needs. The vineyards at Monsordo Bernardina, just outside Alba, where the company’s main headquarters are located, are open to the public every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., including Saturdays and Sundays. This is already unusual for a wine company. But what is even more unusual is the fact that the destination itself has become a spectacular tourist attraction. The transformation was completed last May, following two years of construction. The solid nineteenth-century building that Ceretto had used as a headquarters since 1987 was painstakingly restored, preserving original architectural details and highlighting its austere appeal. At the same time, the ancient, brick-vaulted wine cellars that accompany the edifice were transformed thanks to a passageway that didn’t previously exist: a passageway towards future possibility. An underground corridor leads visitors across a threecentury divide in the space of just a few dozen meters, moving from the 1800s straight into the third millennium. This passageway culminates in a futuristic transparent oval set upon an oak platform: an extraordinary suspended balcony projected out over the company vineyards, as if to symbolize a grape.

This grape is both a work of art and a technologically avantgarde structure somewhat comparable to the Mole Antonelliana in Torino or the Tour Eiffel in Paris. Architects Luca and Marina Deabate created it using an innovative material - EFTA (Ethylene-Fluoro-Tetra-Ethylene) that is light, insulating and as pruinose as a Nebbiolo grape. It is so transparent, anyone walking around the terrace with a glass of Barolo in hand feels as if he or she were flying over the Langhe region, enjoying the wine and the landscape at the same time. It is an exceptional experience, and available to anyone. “Even people who show up uninvited can go into the Grape,” explains Roberta Ceretto. “We might not be able to give them a guided tour, but they won’t miss it that much, because they can follow a didactic pathway starting from under the bubble and crossing our Welcoming Area to reach the terrace suspended over the vineyards. Visitors can follow all the phases of the winemaking process through the embrasures that open up in the walls along the way.” At the end of this corridor you reach a vast, luminous space dedicated to welcoming guests, wine-tasting and learning about wines. This refined 500-square-meter locale was designed by architect Giuseppe Blengini, who drew his inspiration from the colors of the vineyards and the geometry of cultivated grapevines. Here, visitors can both taste and purchase wines. The space also hosts conventions, debates, exhibitions and cultural events. This surprising mix of tradition and faith in the future, of honoring history and celebrating creative innovation characterizes the entire Ceretto group: a network of small companies, highly focused on quality, controlled by an extremely modern holding company that avails itself of the most advanced management techniques and whose key positions are all occupied by

Voyage of the Senses Above, a bottle of Arneis Blangé. Facing page, the so-called “Barolo Chapel,” an architectural marvel created by artists Sol Lewitt and David Tremlett, due to reopen to wine-lovers in September 2009. 26

By Cesare Pillon Photos Bruna Biamino/maKi galimberti

members of the same family. Bruno and Marcello Ceretto, better known in the U.S. as the “Barolo Brothers,” are already grooming the next generation: Marcello’s daughter Lisa works in the company’s key management, while his son Alessandro is part of their technical staff. Bruno’s son Federico is responsible for foreign sales, and his daughter Roberta handles public relations. Thanks to Bruno Ceretto’s efforts, Ceretto has become Italy’s premier wine tourism company. While Marcello, the more private and reserved of the two, concentrated on guaranteeing the excellence of their wines, the expansive, extroverted and intellectually curious Bruno created the group’s structure, diving into entrepreneurial initiatives that are not only economically viable, but have become successfull tourist attractions as well. For example, visitors can have the opportunity to go visit Bricco Rocche, a vineyard that produces only Barolo wines. Outside the building - already an unusual structure thanks to its extremely modern, functional architecture - visitors will find another striking artwork by the Deabates: an enormous crystal cube that looks like something from outer space; in reality, the Cube is a wine-tasting room from which people can look out upon the surrounding Barolo vineyards. In the Brunate vineyards, visitors will find the small Madonna delle Grazie church which Bruno had two famous artists - American Sol Lewitt and Englishman David Tremlett - transform into the Barolo Chapel, an act as controversial as it was admired and appreciated. The Barolo Chapel is currently under renovation, but will reopen to wine lovers in September 2009.

THE WAY to excellence cantine Ceretto STRADA PROVINCIALE Alba/Barolo, località San Cassiano, 34 12051 - Alba (CN)

Yesterday, today and tomorrow Facing page, a spectacular view of the Castiglione Falletto vineyards. From the top, the Monsordo wine barrels and, opposite, the Moscato, Asti Spumante and the Moscato Passito dei Vignaioli di Santo Stefano bottles; the Grape; and Bricco Rocche Cube. 28

The nearest airport is Torino Caselle. The nearby highway makes it easy to get to and from Torino (65.9 km) and Milano (155 km). The cellars are open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Extraordinary wine-tasting seminars available upon reservation, as well as two marvelous restaurants: “La Piola,” and “Piazza Duomo.” For further information: www.ceretto.it 29

THE WAY to excellence cantine Ceretto STRADA PROVINCIALE Alba/Barolo, località San Cassiano, 34 12051 - Alba (CN)

When the ordinary I

Lettera 22 Marcello Nizzoli, Olivetti, 1950. This portable typewriter changed our relationship with writing, revolutionizing work and office space.

naugurated in 2007, the Triennale Design Museum is the first museum of Italian design. It offers an opportunity to discover Italian design through unusual perspectives. Directed by Silvana Annicchiarico and curated by Andrea Branzi, it takes a novel approach to its exhibits, organizing them through new exhibits and themes rather than chronologically or by author. The museum allows you to discover the hidden soul of everyday objects: from Marcello Nizzoli’s Lettera 22 typewriter to Bialetti’s Moka coffee maker; from the “Sacco” armchair to a Borsalino hat; from the Campari soda bottle designed by Futurist artist Fortunato Depero to the Brionvega radio designed by Richard Sapper and Marco Zanuso. Since these familiar objects can be found in many homes around the world, visitors can discover an unexpected “treasure” at home, a collaboration between industry and Italian creativity. The latest exhibition, Serie Fuori Serie (Series Outside Series), open through 2010, is dedicated to investigating this relationship and the connections between small and large-scale production, products for the masses and experimental creations.

erie Fuori Serie explores the universe of Italian design, its history and identity. Ranging from Gaetano Pesce’s Moloch light to Ferrari, from creations by Gianfranco Ferré to Swatch watches and Riva boats, it offers a unique opportunity to re-examine unusual objects, some of which never made it past prototype, others which have been “forgotten,” but all of which provide testimony to the creativity of Italian design. Set up by Antonio Citterio, the exhibition is furnished with tables and screens in Corian that dialogue with the luminous spaces of the Palazzo della Triennale, exalting the objects on display. The aim is to highlight Italian savoir-faire: not only that of Italian designers, but also of foreigners who have worked for Italian companies. You will find works by Italian maestros like Andrea Branzi, Michele De Lucchi, Alessandro Mendini and Ettore Sottsass, as well as others by non-Italians like Philippe Starck, the Campana brothers, Ron Arad and Jasper Morrison that provide tangible proof of Italian companies’ great skill in establishing collaborative dialogue and satisfying the needs of foreign designers. It is just another reason so many men and women choose to take part in Italy’s excellent design tradition.

becomes Extraordinary design The Triennale Museum: a transformative experience that reinvents itself annually, embodying the genius of Italian design By Damiano Gullì - Photos Leo Torri

Formichino Donnino Rumi, Rumi, 1954. A weight-bearing body in aluminum alloy, molded around a central motor: at once a motorcycle and a scooter.

Moka Express Alfonso Bialetti, Bialetti, 1950. More than 270 million mokas have been sold over the course of its sixty-year lifetime.

When the ordinary I

Lettera 22 Marcello Nizzoli, Olivetti, 1950. This portable typewriter changed our relationship with writing, revolutionizing work and office space.

becomes Extraordinary design The Triennale Museum: a transformative experience that reinvents itself annually, embodying the genius of Italian design By Damiano Gullì - Photos Leo Torri

Formichino Donnino Rumi, Rumi, 1954. A weight-bearing body in aluminum alloy, molded around a central motor: at once a motorcycle and a scooter.

Moka Express Alfonso Bialetti, Bialetti, 1950. More than 270 million mokas have been sold over the course of its sixty-year lifetime.

Cico Stefano Giovannoni, Alessi, 2000. A playful character turns into an egg cup with saltshaker and small spoon in thermoplastic resin. Arco Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos, 1962. An extendable, adjustable floor lamp that freed tables from the need for overhead lights.

Graziella Rinaldo Donzelli and Teodoro Carnielli, Carnielli, 1964. A foldable, adjustable and eminently portable bicycle that was all rage in the 1960s and 1970s.

Borsalino 1930. Created by the Borsalino company in Alessandria, Italy, this men’s felt hat is the most popular of its kind in the world.

ooking out over Parco Sempione, the Triennale di Milano offers excellent parallel services. The Triennale DesignCafé, designed by Michele De Lucchi, has large windows overlooking the park, a striking open kitchen and a collection of designer chairs. A long white counter for small temporary exhibitions snakes its way throughout the locale. The DesignCafé’s menu boasts dishes by award-winning chef Carlo Cracco. Clients of the open-air café can enjoy their meals surrounded by sculptures and installations: among them, the Fontana dei Bagni Misteriosi (Fountain of Mysterious Baths) created by Giorgio de Chirico in 1973. The Triennale Bookstore specializes in books on art, architecture and design and sells merchandising objects. The Museum is located in the center, a short walk from Cadorna subway and the Ferrovie Nord train station, one of Milan’s transportation hubs. The Sforzesco Castle, the charming Brera neighborhood and the Brera Pinacoteca are minutes’ away. Visitors can ride local transportation to Santa Maria delle Grazie, home to Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterpiece, The Last Supper.

Food & Books Above, the open kitchen in the Cracco restaurant. Below, the Triennale garden, chef Carlo Cracco, the bookshop where designer objects are also sold, and a view of the restaurant.

TRIENNALE MILANO AN ABSOLUTE MUST for lovers of modern art and design

Milano Triennale Viale Alemagna, 6 - 20121 Milano - Tel. (+39) 02724341 info@triennale.it www.triennale.it Subway Line 1 (Red) and Line 2 (Green), get off at Cadorna-Triennale Hours Tuesday through Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (ticket office closes at 7:30 p.m.) Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. December 24 and December 31 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. December 25 and January 1 from 2:30 to 8:30 p.m. Closed Mondays Info Milan Tourist Office Piazza Duomo, 19/a 20121 - Milano iat.info@provincia.milano.it Tel. (+39) 02 77404343 Admissions e 8 Full - e 6 Reduced 33

Graziella Rinaldo Donzelli and Teodoro Carnielli, Carnielli, 1964. A foldable, adjustable and eminently portable bicycle that was all rage in the 1960s and 1970s.

Borsalino 1930. Created by the Borsalino company in Alessandria, Italy, this men’s felt hat is the most popular of its kind in the world.

Food & Books Above, the open kitchen in the Cracco restaurant. Below, the Triennale garden, chef Carlo Cracco, the bookshop where designer objects are also sold, and a view of the restaurant.

TRIENNALE MILANO AN ABSOLUTE MUST for lovers of modern art and design

Liguria

Feelings Between sea and sky: take a trip through extraordinary images from different Italian regions. Within Italy’s great blue, you’ll find surprising shades that confirm this country’s ability to elicit emotion. Discover a land ready to offer its guests unique scenes with each new step

Liguria A region celebrated by Romantic poets, the ideal destination for anyone who loves the sea and nature

A haven of wonders Considered one of the most unique destinations in the world, in the Cinque Terre water and rock seem to blend together. Right, a nocturnal image of Genova port with its viewing-crane created by Renzo Piano, and the characteristic pastel-colored façades of Porto Venere. 34

Genova is the capital of Liguria and home of the largest aquarium in Europe. Other destinations include UNESCO sites like the Cinque Terre, and Sanremo, where the sun shines an average 240 days a year.

Liguria

Liguria A region celebrated by Romantic poets, the ideal destination for anyone who loves the sea and nature

Sardegna Stupor Mundi Above, enchanting white sands and crystalline waters in Cala Sinzias, on the island’s southeastern coast. Left, “Sos Boes,” a traditional mask from the Ottana carnival, and antique kitchen instruments. 36

sardegna is the oldest of Italy’s regions, and the second Italian island in the Mediterranean sea

Thanks to its position, this region enjoys an average 300 days of sunlight per year. With Cagliari as its capital, the island can boast 1,897 km of coastline, making it a beachgoer’s paradise.

sardegna is the oldest of Italy’s regions, and the second Italian island in the Mediterranean sea

Thanks to its position, this region enjoys an average 300 days of sunlight per year. With Cagliari as its capital, the island can boast 1,897 km of coastline, making it a beachgoer’s paradise.

Sicilia

Calm beneath the storm Left, the black sands of the volcanic island Stromboli, where visitors can admire the rocky outcrop Strombolicchio standing just a few hundred meters away. Below, terraced houses in Modica in the evening and the bright colors of Sicilia gathered together on a vegetable stand in Cefalù.

SICILIA In the 18th Century, it was the last stop on the “Grand Tour” that young English aristocrats took in order to learn more about European culture

Today, Italy’s largest region still boasts innumerable attractions, from its capital Palermo to smaller towns like Noto, Agrigento and Taormina.

Sicilia

SICILIA In the 18th Century, it was the last stop on the “Grand Tour” that young English aristocrats took in order to learn more about European culture

Today, Italy’s largest region still boasts innumerable attractions, from its capital Palermo to smaller towns like Noto, Agrigento and Taormina.

Campania

campania The most populated region in Italy is rife with sites to discover, including a splendid archipelago

Emotional encounters Above, the timeless attraction of Aragonese Castle, built upon a small island near Ischia. In the smaller images, several Madonnas, refined examples of sacred Neapolitan craftsmanship, and statues of Pulcinella, the famous commedia dellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;arte mask that symbolizes Napoli. 40

Napoli, the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital, is the ideal starting point for an unforgettable voyage along the coast: Capri, Ischia, Procida and the world famous Amalfitana coastline.

Campania

campania The most populated region in Italy is rife with sites to discover, including a splendid archipelago

Napoli, the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital, is the ideal starting point for an unforgettable voyage along the coast: Capri, Ischia, Procida and the world famous Amalfitana coastline.

Veneto

Lake and lagoon Left, a view from Cortina Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ampezzo: the mirrored surface of Federa Lake and the Becco di MezzodĂŹ, peak of the eastern Dolomite mountain range. Above, sunset over Piazza San Marco. In the background, the famous column with a winged lion, symbol of Venezia.

veneto Although this region hosts the most famous tourist destination in the world, VENEZIA remains just one of the many attractions of Veneto

The seaside at Jesolo boasts an average 268 days of sunlight per year. The Dolomiti national park offers great views, while the Po River delta is a haven for biodiversity.

Veneto

veneto Although this region hosts the most famous tourist destination in the world, VENEZIA remains just one of the many attractions of Veneto

The seaside at Jesolo boasts an average 268 days of sunlight per year. The Dolomiti national park offers great views, while the Po River delta is a haven for biodiversity.

TRAVELOGUE

the North

SUMMER 2009: WHAT’S GOING ON IN ITALY

trentino-alto adige TRENTO

sounds of the dolomites VARIOUS LOCATIONS Through Friday August 28th The Dolomites are the perfect setting for a series of “top level” concerts. Performers include Uri Caine (July 21st) and Fiorella Mannoia (August 28th).

PIEMONTE TORINO

Typical LOCAL dishes include: canederli, polenta with cheese, and “fortaies”

ROberto bolle & friends

By plane Trento Airport By car 97 km from Trento; 148 km from

Venezia; 341 km from Milano

i www.isuonidelledolomiti.it LOMBARDIA - PIEMONTE

Teatro Regio Monday September 7th An opportunity to admire dance star Roberto Bolle and other famous international dancers, in a gala evening of popular 19th- and 20thcentury works.

NEAR Teatro Regio YOU’LL FIND Palazzo Regio, a World Heritage Site since 1997. well worth a visit

By plane Torino Caselle

Sandro Pertini Airport By car 142 km from Milano; 169 km from Genova

i www.robertobolle.com www.fondoambiente.it

VENETO venezia

the EMILIO and ANNABIANCA VEDOVa foundation FONDAMENTA DELLE ZATTERE Through Monday December 31st 2012 In a warehouse at Venezia’s historic salt docks, Renzo Piano has created the first “flying art” museum in the world, dedicated to the work of Emilio Vedova, a pioneer of abstract art.

MITO: september in music MILANO - TORINO From Thursday September 3rd to Thursday September 24th Inauguration of an exhibition that explores the heart of Lombardia and Piemonte with the aid of the seven musical notes. A heady program of concerts and a fascinating dive into Japanese culture. Around 4,000 artists, representing 33 countries will PARTICIPATE

By plane Milano Malpensa Airport By car Milano-Torino, 142 km

The salt docks are one of the oldest and most INTRIGUING parts of the Venetian Republic

VENEZIA FILM FESTIVAL

By plane Venezia Airport By car 51 km from Padova; 279 km from Milano

i www.fondazionevedova.org www.comune.venezia.it

VENEZIA Lido From Wednesday September 2nd to Saturday September 12th Major stars of stage and screen light up the Venezia Lagoon at the 66th International Film Festival.

veneto VICENZA

PALLADIO BY NIGHT VARIOUS LOCATIONS From July 18th to September 11th A chance to visit some of the most beautiful villas ever built by Andrea Palladio. Hundreds of candles and lanterns illuminate the exclusive atmosphere.

GIUSEPPE TORNATORE’S MOST RECENT MOVIE, BAARIA, OPENS THE FESTIVAL WITH ITS WORLD PREMIERE

By plane Venezia Airport By car 51 km from Padova; 279 km

Between 1994 and 1996, UNESCO designated Vicenza and 24 Palladian villas as World Heritage Sites

By plane Venezia Airport By car 76 km from Venezia; 212 km from Milano

i www.palladiobynight.com 44

veneto venezia

Andrej Hermlin’s Swing Dance Orchestra will close the MITO Festival on September 24th with a repertoire of 1930s and 1940s jazz performed at Milano Linate Airport. An evocative nocturnal view of a Palladian Villa.

i www.mitosettembremusica.it

from Milano

A glamorous Anne Hathaway at the Lido.

i www.labiennale.org 45

TRAVELOGUE

the North

SUMMER 2009: WHAT’S GOING ON IN ITALY

trentino-alto adige TRENTO

PIEMONTE TORINO

Typical LOCAL dishes include: canederli, polenta with cheese, and “fortaies”

ROberto bolle & friends

By plane Trento Airport By car 97 km from Trento; 148 km from

Venezia; 341 km from Milano

i www.isuonidelledolomiti.it LOMBARDIA - PIEMONTE

Teatro Regio Monday September 7th An opportunity to admire dance star Roberto Bolle and other famous international dancers, in a gala evening of popular 19th- and 20thcentury works.

NEAR Teatro Regio YOU’LL FIND Palazzo Regio, a World Heritage Site since 1997. well worth a visit

By plane Torino Caselle

Sandro Pertini Airport By car 142 km from Milano; 169 km from Genova

i www.robertobolle.com www.fondoambiente.it

VENETO venezia

By plane Milano Malpensa Airport By car Milano-Torino, 142 km

The salt docks are one of the oldest and most INTRIGUING parts of the Venetian Republic

VENEZIA FILM FESTIVAL

By plane Venezia Airport By car 51 km from Padova; 279 km from Milano

i www.fondazionevedova.org www.comune.venezia.it

VENEZIA Lido From Wednesday September 2nd to Saturday September 12th Major stars of stage and screen light up the Venezia Lagoon at the 66th International Film Festival.

veneto VICENZA

GIUSEPPE TORNATORE’S MOST RECENT MOVIE, BAARIA, OPENS THE FESTIVAL WITH ITS WORLD PREMIERE

By plane Venezia Airport By car 51 km from Padova; 279 km

Between 1994 and 1996, UNESCO designated Vicenza and 24 Palladian villas as World Heritage Sites

By plane Venezia Airport By car 76 km from Venezia; 212 km from Milano

i www.palladiobynight.com 44

veneto venezia

i www.mitosettembremusica.it

from Milano

A glamorous Anne Hathaway at the Lido.

i www.labiennale.org 45

TRAVELOGUE

abruzzo pescara

toscana lucca

the center

55th PUCCINI FESTIVAL

PESCARA JAZZ 2009

SUMMER 2009: WHAT’S GOING ON IN ITALY

toscana siena

palio di siena

Torre del Lago Puccini Through Sunday August 23rd Just a few kilometers from the golden beaches of Viareggio and the charming walled town of Lucca, this festival which has celebrated local hero Giacomo Puccini since 1930, weaves its magic once again. On the shores of Lake Massaciuccoli, the villa which was once Puccini’s home is now a fascinating museum open to the public

By plane Firenze Airport By car 260 km from Milano; 384 km from Roma

i www.puccinifestival.it www.torredellago.com LAZIO ROMA

lazio roma

13TH FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FORO ITALICO - OSTIA From Friday July 17th to Sunday August 2nd Swimming, diving, water polo and synchronized swimming: the coolest sporting event of the summer. Booking: www.ticketingoffice@roma09.it.

Exciting open water swimming races are held in the sea at Ostia, around 20 km from the historic center of Roma

By plane Roma Fiumicino Airport By car 284 km from Firenze; 585 km from Milano

i www.roma09.it www.turismoroma.it

OPERA IN CARACALLA PIAZZA DEL CAMPO Sunday August 16th This exhilarating horse race has been held in Siena’s Piazza del Campo since the 16th century, and has come to represent a must-see for visitors from all over the world.

17 neighborhoods, representing 17 city districts, battle it out in the so-called “Carriera”

By plane Firenze Airport By car 74.6 km from Firenze; 245 km from Roma

TERME DI CARACALLA Through Sunday August 9th Puccini’s Tosca and Bizet’s Carmen go head to head through August 9th at the Terme di Caracalla. For information and tickets, (+39) 06 481601.

Historically, the Terme di Caracalla was a complex of spas and pools used by the Ancient RomaNS

i www.ilpalio.org www.comune.siena.it

Various locations Mondays from July 27th to August 17th, Sunday August 9th and Friday August 14th By plane Roma Fiumicino Airport By car 284 km from Firenze; 585 km from Milano 46

Toccata e Fuga, an exciting musical show organized by the Deputy Mayor of Roma, Mauro Cutrufo, returns in itinerant form to the most beautiful locations around the city. AUGUST 3RD AT THE TREVI FOUNTAIN A GALA EVENING will be held to CELEBRATE THE GREAT ITALIAN COMPOSERS OF THE PAST

www.turismoroma.it

THE TEARS OF SAINT LAWRENCE Anzio Thursday August 13th With the help of expert astronomers, celebrate that magical moment when “stars fall from the sky.” The event is best enjoyed in the evocative atmosphere of the archaeological park where Nero’s Villa is situated.

lazio roma

toccata e fuga

lazio roma

By plane Roma Fiumicino Airport By car 284 km from Firenze; 585 km

from Milano

i www.operaroma.it

Long ago, it was possible to see this phenomenon most clearly on August 10th, the Night of Saint Lawrence

By plane Roma Fiumicino Airport By car 61.5 km from Roma; 344 km

from Firenze

i www.anzioturismo.com

TEATRO D’ANNUNZIO Through Sunday July 19th Chick Corea, Roy Haynes, George Benson, Ahmad Jamal, Maurizio Rolli and many other international jazz giants stir up the 37th edition of this important festival.

The event takes place at the open-air theater dedicated to the poet Gabriele D’Annunzio, a native of Pescara Top, Maurizio Rolli; here, Chick Corea.

By plane Pescara Airport By car 209 km from Roma; 573 km

from Milano

i www.pescarajazz.com 47

TRAVELOGUE

abruzzo pescara

toscana lucca

the center

55th PUCCINI FESTIVAL

PESCARA JAZZ 2009

SUMMER 2009: WHAT’S GOING ON IN ITALY

toscana siena

palio di siena

By plane Firenze Airport By car 260 km from Milano; 384 km from Roma

i www.puccinifestival.it www.torredellago.com LAZIO ROMA

lazio roma

Exciting open water swimming races are held in the sea at Ostia, around 20 km from the historic center of Roma

By plane Roma Fiumicino Airport By car 284 km from Firenze; 585 km from Milano

i www.roma09.it www.turismoroma.it

17 neighborhoods, representing 17 city districts, battle it out in the so-called “Carriera”

By plane Firenze Airport By car 74.6 km from Firenze; 245 km from Roma

TERME DI CARACALLA Through Sunday August 9th Puccini’s Tosca and Bizet’s Carmen go head to head through August 9th at the Terme di Caracalla. For information and tickets, (+39) 06 481601.

Historically, the Terme di Caracalla was a complex of spas and pools used by the Ancient RomaNS

i www.ilpalio.org www.comune.siena.it

Various locations Mondays from July 27th to August 17th, Sunday August 9th and Friday August 14th By plane Roma Fiumicino Airport By car 284 km from Firenze; 585 km from Milano 46

www.turismoroma.it

lazio roma

toccata e fuga

lazio roma

By plane Roma Fiumicino Airport By car 284 km from Firenze; 585 km

from Milano

i www.operaroma.it

Long ago, it was possible to see this phenomenon most clearly on August 10th, the Night of Saint Lawrence

By plane Roma Fiumicino Airport By car 61.5 km from Roma; 344 km

from Firenze

i www.anzioturismo.com

The event takes place at the open-air theater dedicated to the poet Gabriele D’Annunzio, a native of Pescara Top, Maurizio Rolli; here, Chick Corea.

By plane Pescara Airport By car 209 km from Roma; 573 km

from Milano

i www.pescarajazz.com 47

TRAVELOGUE

sicilia messina

JOSÉ CARRERAS IN CONCERT

the south

SUMMER 2009: WHAT’S GOING ON IN ITALY

sardegna oristano

IS FASSONIS

Santa Giusta Saturday August 1st This annual regatta is a fierce battle between traditional pirogue-type boats made of bundles of rushes bound together. Girls in traditional costume, flute players and typical local food stalls complement this colorful event.

The only other place in the world you can find boats like these is on Lake Titicaca, between Bolivia and Peru

PUGLIA bari

trulli forever Alberobello Saturday August 1st and Sunday August 2nd Beginning in 1928, the “Città dei Trulli” group have been spotlighting the customs, traditional costume and dance from Alberobello, a unique area of Apulia designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The oldest historical buildings of Alberobello date back to the 16th century

THE NIGHT OF THE TARANTA

MUSEO ARCHEOLOGICO DI NAPOLI Through Thursday December 31st The Museo Archeologico di Napoli welcomes the return of the Collezione Affreschi, including over 400 Roman frescoes, and the Collezione Farnese, the most comprehensive collection of historical statues in the world.

The paintings include an eclectic mix of themes: mythology, exoticism, still lifes and portraits

By plane Napoli Capodichino Airport By car 227 km from Roma; 498 km from Reggio Calabria

i www.marketplace.it/museo.nazionale www.inaples.it

TIME IN JAZZ 2009

km from Olbia

puglia LECCE

THE ART OF POMPEI

sardegna olbia-tempio

By plane Cagliari Elmas Airport By car 90 km from Cagliari; 180

i www.comune.santagiusta.or.it www.sardegnaturismo.it

CAMPANIA NAPOLI

By plane Brindisi Airport By car 36.7 km from Taranto; 56.7 km

from Bari

i www.alberobello.net CAMPANIA NAPOLI

PIZZAFESt 2009 Melpignano Saturday August 22nd Every year, songs and music from all over the Mediterranean flow together in a harmonious celebration of the Salento region’s festive soul. Mauro Pagani is among the artists scheduled to perform.

This event was originally held to celebrate the “Pizzica,” a dance from puglia, similar to a “tarantella”

By plane Brindisi Airport By car 86.8 km from Brindisi; 140 km from Taranto

i www.lanottedellataranta.it www.comune.melpignano.le.it 48

mostra d’oltremare From Thursday September 10th to Sunday September 20th Napoli, the capital of pizza. Chefs from all over the world gather here to offer visitors a taste of this cornerstone of Italian cuisine. only certified buffalo mozzarella from Campania, basil, oil and tomato may be used On a Neapolitan pizza

By plane Napoli Capodichino Airport By car 227 km from Roma; 498 km

from Reggio Calabria

i www.pizzafest.info

Berchidda From Sunday August 9th to Sunday August 18th You can find the best jazz in the world in Gallura, a region of Sardinia famous for its outstanding beaches. Guests will include: Jan Garbarek, Richard Galliano and Angelique Kidjo.

Berchidda is renowned for the production of Vermentino, one of Italy’s best-loved white wines

By plane Olbia Airport By car 37.5 km from Olbia; 229 km from Cagliari

i www.timeinjazz.it

Taormina Saturday July 18th The celebrated orchestra of the Teatro Regio di Parma and the atmospheric Teatro Antico of Taormina combine to provide an amazing Italian experience.

ORIGINALLY Started by the Greeks in the 7th century BC, Taormina’s Teatro Antico was SUBSEQUENTLY renovated and extended in Roman times

By plane Catania Airport By car 52.9 km from Catania; 260 km from Palermo

i www.josepcarreras.com www.taormina-sicily.it SICILIA palermo

LAURA PAUSINI PRIMAVERA IN ANTICIPO TOUR VELODROMO BORSELLINO Friday July 18th Having just returned from a successful world tour promoting her recent album Primavera in anticipo, on which she also sings a duet with James Blunt, the Italian singer songwriter arrives on Sicilian soil for yet another date of her whirlwind summer tour. In a career spanning 16 years, Laura Pausini has sold MORE THAN 45 million albums all over the world

By plane Palermo Falcone

e Borsellino Airport By car 104 km from Trapani; 225 km from Messina

i www.laurapausini.com www.palermotourism.com 49

TRAVELOGUE

sicilia messina

JOSÉ CARRERAS IN CONCERT

the south

SUMMER 2009: WHAT’S GOING ON IN ITALY

sardegna oristano

IS FASSONIS

The only other place in the world you can find boats like these is on Lake Titicaca, between Bolivia and Peru

PUGLIA bari

The oldest historical buildings of Alberobello date back to the 16th century

THE NIGHT OF THE TARANTA

The paintings include an eclectic mix of themes: mythology, exoticism, still lifes and portraits

By plane Napoli Capodichino Airport By car 227 km from Roma; 498 km from Reggio Calabria

i www.marketplace.it/museo.nazionale www.inaples.it

TIME IN JAZZ 2009

km from Olbia

puglia LECCE

THE ART OF POMPEI

sardegna olbia-tempio

By plane Cagliari Elmas Airport By car 90 km from Cagliari; 180

i www.comune.santagiusta.or.it www.sardegnaturismo.it

CAMPANIA NAPOLI

By plane Brindisi Airport By car 36.7 km from Taranto; 56.7 km

from Bari

i www.alberobello.net CAMPANIA NAPOLI

This event was originally held to celebrate the “Pizzica,” a dance from puglia, similar to a “tarantella”

By plane Brindisi Airport By car 86.8 km from Brindisi; 140 km from Taranto

i www.lanottedellataranta.it www.comune.melpignano.le.it 48

By plane Napoli Capodichino Airport By car 227 km from Roma; 498 km

from Reggio Calabria

i www.pizzafest.info

Berchidda is renowned for the production of Vermentino, one of Italy’s best-loved white wines

By plane Olbia Airport By car 37.5 km from Olbia; 229 km from Cagliari

i www.timeinjazz.it

Taormina Saturday July 18th The celebrated orchestra of the Teatro Regio di Parma and the atmospheric Teatro Antico of Taormina combine to provide an amazing Italian experience.

ORIGINALLY Started by the Greeks in the 7th century BC, Taormina’s Teatro Antico was SUBSEQUENTLY renovated and extended in Roman times

By plane Catania Airport By car 52.9 km from Catania; 260 km from Palermo

i www.josepcarreras.com www.taormina-sicily.it SICILIA palermo

By plane Palermo Falcone

e Borsellino Airport By car 104 km from Trapani; 225 km from Messina

i www.laurapausini.com www.palermotourism.com 49

TA S T E

of Italy

Our diversity makes us unique Italy is a land of microclimates. In other words, the opposite of a macroclimate - a term that refers to the topographical and environmental characteristics that distinguish a specific area, sometimes an extremely small area. Some areas in the north, center or south of the Italian peninsula have their own unique, unrepeatable climes, and are delimited by borders that are much more distinct and identifiable than those that divide Italy into regions or provinces. Each microclimate has its own scents, released primarily by local herbs that are often difficult or even impossible to transplant elsewhere and obtain the same results. They are deeply interconnected with the humors of that specific swathe of land. Take garlic for example. Taste a few cloves during a trip along the coastline, starting in Toscana and heading north towards France. You’ll find that the taste becomes stronger (more savory, more fragrant) the closer you get to the French coast. Italian herbs can be so suggestive that in many cases they are emblematic of an entire area. This is precisely what happens with Ligurian basil, which turns sunlight into perfume and triumphs in local dishes in Liguria, or with northern Italian sage and parsley, or rosemary from southern Italy, or oregano and tarragon (what the French refer to as estragon) in the center of

GUALTIERO MARCHESI

Gualtiero Marchesi a Milanese chef and one of the most famous culinary professionals in the world, founded “new Italian cuisine.” He recently inaugurated Il Marchesino, a new restaurant in Milano.

our Bel Paese. The great variety in Italian dishes is a direct product of the difference in the essence of these herbs. They change the impact of each individual dish, altering foods that may be based on the same ingredients, but are prepared in different climatic areas. Over time, they “constitute” the characteristics of the meat of our animals and give personality to the extraordinary kaleidoscope of our cheeses. The common thread of Italian cooking is precisely this grand diversity, influenced not so much by territories, but by microclimates. This uniqueness makes all the difference. Italians are unique in the infinite facets of the country’s gastronomic tradition. Italian cuisine is celebrated all over the world, and great chefs are torchbearers of our culinary culture from America to New Zealand, from India to China. I have traveled around the world, and have had the great satisfaction of founding, in New York City, the Italian Culinary Academy. But the perfumes of true Italian cooking are not, as we have already noted, exportable. Elsewhere they are simulacrums, allusions, reminders. It is only within the harmonious fullness (harmony in simplicity, what every chef must strive for) of our microclimates that Italian cuisine - real Italian cuisine - manages to trigger a chain reaction that becomes culture, music and art.