A round-up of news from the world of Italian culture on Tuesday 4th April 2023.
Italian Culture Capital 2025
The Sicilian city of Agrigento will be Italy’s culture capital in 2025.
Agrigento, which was one of the one of the leading cities of ancient Greece’s Magna Graecia, is home to the stunning ‘Valley of the Temples’ archaeological site.
It beat off competition from Aosta, Assisi, Asti, Bagnoregio, Monte Sant’Angelo, Orvieto, Pescina, Roccasecca and Spoleto.
Italy’s first capital of culture was Mantua in 2016. It was followed by Pistoia (2017), Palermo (2018), Parma, whose stint for 2020 was extended to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Procida last year. The northern cities of Bergamo and Brescia are this year’s capital and Pesaro will have the honour in 2024.
Italy also has a book capital, which is Genoa this year.
Amerigo Vespucci to go on 2-year ‘Made in Italy’ tour
Italian naval academy flagship ‘tall ship’ Amerigo Vespucci, is to take Italian products around the world in a two-year ‘Made in Italy’ global tour, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said today.
The Vespucci will set off on July 1st on its two year journey. It will stop in all continents, to present ‘Made in Italy’ products, Crosetto said at the Vinitaly event.
“The producers here at Vinitaly,” he specified, “have asked me to help transport the image of Italy in the world and the government will continue to do so.
“As Minister of Defence I will also do so through an event the ministry has invented. The (wine) fair in Verona will also accompany every stage of the tour and it will also showcase Italian art, culture, and design”.
The Amerigo Vespucci is named after the explorer who gave his name to America. Its home port is La Spezia, Italy.
Teatro San Carlo in Naples reopens
The Teatro San Carlo opera house in Naples reopened on Monday 3rd April to the public after a 10-million-euro overhaul funded by the Ministry of Culture and lasting three months.
The renovations involved the main hall, royal balcony and central ceiling canvas by the Sicilian artist Giuseppe Cammarano. Work was also carried out on the stage floor, orchestra pit, seating and heating, fire suppression and electrical systems, among other things.
Read also: Top 5 opera houses in Italy
Teatro San Carlo opened in 1737 on the wishes of the Bourbon King Charles III of Naples and is the oldest continuously active opera theatre in the world.
