What's On in Italy Spring 2015

ART EXIBITIONS
Palma il Vecchio - Gazing at Beauty – at the reopened Accademia Carrara until June 21, 2015  www.palmailvecchio.it
MILAN
Leonardo, at Palazzo Reale from April 15 to July 19, 2015
Giotto, at Palazzo Reale from September 2, 2015 to  January 10, 2016

www.artpalazzoreale.it/INDE_M263.html

ROME

Bimillenial fo the Emperor Augustus - the Splendors  and the Calendars in Ancient Times at the Museo Nazionale Romano in Palazzo Massimo Until 2 June 2015 www.turismoroma.it/cosa-fare/bimillenario-di-augusto?lang=en
Giorgio Morandi, Painter, at Complesso del Vittoriano from 27 Feb to 21 June 2015 www.060608.it/en/print/eventi-e-spettacoli/mostre/giorgio-morandi-1890-1964.html
Imperial Rome: the age of anxiety Commodus to Diocletian (180-305 AD) January 28 to October 4 2015. Musei Capitolini  www.museicapitolini.org
Giorgio Morandi, Painter, Complesso del Vittoriano until June 21 2015.  www.comunicareorganizzando.it/mostra/giorgio-morandi/

FLORENCE
Power and Pathos. Bronze of the  Hellenisti World at the Palazzo Strozzi  - until June 21, 2015 www.palazzostrozzi.org/

RAVENNA

Il Bel Paese, the Beautiful Country, Italy from the Risorgimento to the Great War, from the Macchiaioli to the Futurists at Museo d’Arte della città di Ravenna - until June 14, 2015 www.mar.ra.it/eng/Mostra/Il-Bel-Paese
FERRARA
La Rosa di Fuoco - Barcelona of Picasso and Gaudi at the Palazzo dei Diamanti from April 19 to July 19, 2015 www.palazzodiamanti.it/895/palazzo-dei-diamanti

FORLI (Emilia Romagna)
Boldini - the Enchantment of Modernity from Macchiaioli Painters to Paris at the Musei di San Domenico -until  June 14, 2015 www.mostrefondazioneforli.it

REGGIO EMILIA (Emilia Romagna)
Piero Della Francesca – Drawings between art and science at the Palazzo Magnani
-until June 14, 2015 www.palazzomagnani.it

NEW MUSEUMS/RE-OPENINGS/ SPECIAL EVENTS
DOMUS OF THE MYSTERIES reopens at Pompaii
The Villa dei Misteri (Domus of the Mysteries) has been re-opened to the public after careful restoration which lasted almost two years by the Culture Minister, Dario Franceschini. The
exquisite frescoes depicting convivial scenes in ancient Rome are now fully restored and the visitors can admire them in the more than 70 rooms of the house.
AQUAE VENICE 2015 the international exhibition dedicated to water  will take
place in Venice from May to October 2015. AQUAE is promoted by Expo Venice and is a side show
of EXPO MILANO 2015 who is also the sponsor. www.aquae2015.org
SACRA SINDONE in Turin
Sacra Sindone – Ostension of the Holy Shroud  April 19 – June 24, 2015 Duomo of Torino
www.sindone.org/
NEW EGYPTIAN MUSEUM, TURIN

The culmination of a major development project, the new layout will be opened on April 1, 2015  to the public in Turin, second only in importance to that of Cairo.
www.museoegizio.it
New MUSEO DEL NOVECENTO, Florence


Dedicated to the Italian art of the 20th century, the Novecento Museum offers a selection of around 300 works located in 15 exhibition areas, in addition to a study room, a cabinet for drawings and prints and a room for conferences and projections. A journey backwards from the Nineties to the first decades of the Twentieth century retraces the unique artistic season that saw Florence as one of the most vital centres through paintings, sculptures, videos, installations and documents.  http://www.museonovecento.it/en/museo/
LA PORTA DEL CIELO (DOOR TO THE SKY)
reopens at Siena's Cathedral unntil 31 October 2015
A walkway under the roof of the Duomo di Siena has re-opened for the summer season, under the roof of the Cathedral one can admire the inside of the Duomo with its magnificent tiled floors and the outside. It is a unique chance to see this work of art in a different light

RIVER TRIPS
IL BURCHIELLO - RIVER TRIPS ALONG THE RIVIERA DEL BRENTA
From now until November 2, river cruises along the Riviera del Brenta take place every day. The Burchiello, once a typical Venetian wooden boat, is now a modern and comfortable boat. The trips from Padua to Venice (or viceversa) take a whole day and along the route the passengers stop and visit Palladian Villas (Villa Foscari, La Malcontenta, Villa Widmann in Mira and Villa Pisani in Stra), stop for lunch in the Il Burchiello Restaurant in Oriago and can admire the beautiful views along the river. www.ilburchiello.it

FESTIVALS, MUSIC, other events
MAGGIO MUSICALE FIORENTINO FESTIVAL
Teatro Comunale, Florence, April 30 - June 27, 2015
One of the oldest traditional cultural events in Florence. The Stabile Orchestrale Fiorentina was born in 1928 and in 1933 it organized the first edition of the Festival, which, over the years grew to international fame. The Festival has its own Ballet Company called Maggio Dance. www.maggiofiorentino.com
ARENA DI VERONA
June 19 - September 6, 2015
The International Opera Festival presents a rich calendar of events. The operas to be performed this year are: Aida, Romeo et Juliet, Nabucco, Tosca, Don Giovanni, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Carmina Burana. Arena di Verona welcomes once again artists and public in its magnificent setting. www.arena.it
RAVELLO CONCERTS
Villa Rufolo, Ravello, Amalfi Coast, April3 - October 30, 2015
Listen to concerts held in the gardens and the rooms of Villa Rufolo, famous for having inspired Wagner for the setting of his Parsifal. www.ravelloarts.org
CLASSICAL GREEK THEATRE FESTIVAL
Siracusa, Sicily 15 May – 28 June 2015
Classical Greek theatrical representation in the magical atmosphere of the Greek Theatre in Siracusa, this year’s programme includes: Le Supplici by Aeschylus, Medea by Seneca and Ifigenia in Aulide by Euripides. www.indafondazione.org
LA NOTTE ROSA – PINK NIGHT
Adriatic coast of Emilia Romagna July 4-5, 2015
For one night the entire Riviera turns pink. There will be shows, events, theatre sets, and scenery. The whole Riviera will become a stage where everyone has a part to play. La Notte Rosa will take place all along the coast, from the Lidos of Comacchio to Cattolica, but the heart of the event is the Riviera of Rimini. www.lanotterosa.it
PRIMAVERA DEL PROSECCO, Prosecco’s Spring in Treviso and surrounding areas
March - June 2015
Treviso, Valdobbiadene, Conegliano, Cartizze
    This annual event takes place in the heart of the Prosecco wine area. Special packages are on offer which would include stay in hotels, agriturismi and B&Bs of the area, restaurants and visit to wineries.  www.primaveraprosecco.it
LIVE PASSION PLAY IN SORDEVOLO, Piedmont, June 6– September27, 2015.
This re-enactment of the Passion of Christ is staged live every 5 years since 1850 in the village of
Sordevolo near Biella in Piedmont, with more than 400 actors and 40 performances. Although not as famous as the one in Oberhammergau in Germany, it has, over the years, gained international importance. www.passionedicristo.org

FOLKLORE and HISTORICAL EVENTS
FESTA DEI CERI (RACE OF THE CANDLES), Gubbio – 15th May 2015
The Festa Dei Ceri is one of the oldest, if not the oldest Italian folklore events, The festival is an solemn act of devotion on the part of the Eugubini towards their Bishop Ubaldo Baldassini which started in 1160, the year of his death. Since then, every 15 May, the eve of the day of mourning, the devotional offering to the patron Saint is a fixed appointment for the people of Gubbio who take part in a great mystical procession, carrying candles all around the town and up Mount Ingino (where since 11 September 1194 the body of Saint Ubaldo lies, in the church which bears his name). www.ceri.it
THE PALIO OF FERRARA
Ferrara, May 2-31, 2015
The Palio of Ferrara is the most ancient event of its kind is the world dating back to 1279. It is peculiar for its kind of ride that is joyful and so different from other warlike palii. This is a very important moment for the city: all the Contrade participate wearing dress of different colours to gain the “palio”, but also and overall it is a festivity to remember the Renaissance, a period during which Ferrara was really a capital. The Palio is run on Sunday 31 May. www.paliodiferrara.it
GIOSTRA DELL’ARCHIDADO
Cortona, June 14,  2015
The Archidado Joust traces its origins back to the Middle Ages and was officially created in 1397 to celebrate the wedding of Francesco Casali, the Lord of Cortona, and Antonia Salimbeni, a noble woman from Siena. In the city of Cortona, this historical event is recalled every year on the second Sunday of June, when people are lead back to the ancient medieval splendour of the city. The streets are decorated in medieval style, ladies, knights, flag flyers, crossbow shooters, soldiers, pages, civil and religious authorities, all dressed with fine costumes, liven up the city center, which is rich in history and artistic beauties of every time. www.giostr
PALIO DEL NIBALLO
Faenza, Emilia Romagna, June 28, 2015
Seeing the Palio del Niballo is like living and enjoying a day in 14th-century Faenza. Flag-wavers, knights, and drummers dressed in the colours of the town's five contending “rioni” (i.e. quarters) - White, Yellow, Black, Red and Green - flood the most charming parts of the old town centre, accompanied by the pounding of drums. The palio consists in hitting a revolving dummy with a spear. The dummy is fashioned as a Saracen
warrior (called the “Niballo”) and the idea is to get your horse to run past faster than the Niballo turns. In June, before the palio, the rioni warm up with flag-waving and music competitions and the Bigorda d'Oro (a palio for younger racers). www.paliodifaenza.it
LUMINARA AND RACE OF SAN RANIERI
Lungarno, Pisa, June 16,17, 2015
www.pisaunicaterra.it/en/villages-and-cities-of-art/pisa-en.html
On the occasion of the Feast of San Ranieri, Patron Saint of Pisa, celebrated annually on 16-17 June, the enchantment of the illuminations of Saint Ranieri is renewed on the streets running along the river Arno (the so-called Lungarni). In fact, following the ancient tradition the Pisans celebrate their Patron Saint on the following day with the historical Regatta of San Ranieri (Palio). There are more than a hundred thousand wax candles which at every edition are meticulously set in smooth and white glasses and fixed then onto wooden white-painted frames, modelled in such a way as to highlight the outline of the palaces, of the bridges, of the churches and of the towers reflecting the river. www.pisaunicaterra.it/en/villages-and-cities-of-art/pisa-en.html

SPORT
BIKE FESTIVAL GARDA TRENTINO
Riva del Garda, Trentino, May 1-3, 2015, The Bike Festival Garda Trentino is back. www.gardatrentino.it
GIRO D’ ITALIA
Starts May 9, 2015 in San Lorenzo al Mare in Liguria, ends in Milan on May 31 www.gazzetta.it
MILLE MIGLIA
May 14-17, 2015
The vintage cars in the world chosen to participate in the race each year are selected under rigorous guidelines. The 2015 edition plans a departure from Brescia, journeying through Lake Garda, Padua, Ferrara, Republic of San Marino, Ascoli Piceno to Rome and then back to Brescia via Siena, Pisa, Parma, and Bergamo. www.1000miglia.eu