The opera Aida, at the Verona Amphitheatre. |
Besides waking up to the sound of church bells every morning, which I loved, Venice was one of my first musical experiences in Italy. Along the canal an Italian woman rocked to American songs with a voice like Janis Joplin, despite the fact that she couldn’t speak any English she sounded great.
We dinned on the stone, a dinner that was a total of 12 euro for two, including bread, cheese, meat and rose wine. We dared the rising tide to touch our feet as the moon looked on in approval, we drank to Venice.
Vicenza Bible Fest. |
Vicenza, the small and yet charming Italian town, was one of those moments where it really didn’t matter how you danced, it was just groovy that you moved! It was the Bible Festival and, despite my feelings towards organized religion, I joined in. There were many genres being showcased that night, but after a few campari spritzers, I only really remember reggae. It was such a surreal moment, not only because of the campari, but because we were dancing in a piazza surrounded by architecture designed by Andrea Palladio underneath the Italian moonlight. The beat being pounded against the cobblestone, and up into my legs, felt like the pulse of Italy. Does it get any better than that?
Vicenza Pizza where I dinned & danced |
Verona held another moment shared by many. Spur of the moment, we attended the opening opera show held at the Verona Amphitheatre/Colosseum which was built in 30 AD. It was my first time witnessing any opera in person and in the end I felt like Pretty Woman applauding filled with inspiration. The event was televised on Italian T.V. with people who, I am sure, are considered famous. There was a woman from Britain who was wonderful and she too was considered famous due to her appearance on the X Factor, I think. If you recognize her let me know who she is because her performances were gorgeous. Later in the year I heard the song I had been dying to hear again, unexpectedly, while sitting at dinner listening to Zappacosta at our local Minstrel’s restaurant. We also heard another song which I really suggest you listen to! Un amore cosi grande, unfortunately it wasn’t Andrea Bocelli singing.
The Verona Amphitheatre filling up |
The most lovely song… if only I knew the name. Thanks Zappacosta! |
The most intimate of my musical experiences was on a slow train back to Verona from Padua in the heat of hell. I had to make my way to the back of the train to find an available seat. I gestured to a seat taken by a skinny red packsack. The robust black woman sighed a deep breath and removed her bag. I sunk into the warm seat in exhaustion. She put her head phones into her ears and sang along. It was like a lullaby for my tired sweating body. I sighed deep and stared out the window watching the green and gold blurs go by to a calming throaty humming sound track, on random.
The death of Carmen |
Reading Suggestions for Venice:
Jan Morris’s Venice
Thomas Mann’s Death in Venice
Reading Suggestions for Padua:
Oscar Wilde’s Duchess of Padua
Edward Charles’s The Courtesan of Padua
Reading Suggestions for Vicenza:
A History of Painting in North Italy
Andrea Palladio: The Architect in His Time by Bruce Boucher
Reading Suggestions for Verona:
An Italian Education: The Further Adventures of an Expatriate in Verona by Tim Parks
The Master of Verona by David Blixt
Madama Butterfly Opera in Verona |
Oh, the power of music! I love this post and it's all so true how your mood can change while listening to music. The other night, we were eating with the windows open (its sooo hot in Florence right now), and then heard live Jazz coming from the piazza below us. In that instant, we forgot how hot we were and loved hearing the music from the comfort of our home. Thank you for sharing in the La Dolce Vita series!!!!
Love, Christine
http://ciaochristy.blogspot.com
Music is such an important part of the Italian lifestyle. Having read this post I think uou may well find my Sunday Song posts of interest to you and The Italy in Books reading Challenge.
I was delighted to be able to join in with this great new linky party, even if my post was rather different from what you might have expected. Had I known beforehand I would have rescheduled, but then it is real life, it is part of La Dolce Vita.
I love those moments that catch you off guard like that!
Kind of shocks you to be present in the moment, if the Italian architecture doesn't do that already.
Thanks for commenting Rowena.
One of the most unique musical experiences happened right in my own town. It was funny because while out on a walk one evening in December, it started to snow and this one fellow stroller passing by started to sing at the top of his lungs…”I'm singing in the rain, I'm singing in the rain!” It was so cute and funny not only because of his strong italian accent, but because he didn't care that we were within 10 feet of him and he just kept on singing!