FROM THE 30TH OF DECEMBER - UMBRIA JAZZ WINTER - AND SPECIAL CONCERT BY JOAO GILBERTO - ORVIETO

UMBRIA JAZZ WINTER#16 will be held in Orvieto from the 30th of December, up to the 4th of January.

Don't miss the Joao Gilberto performance on the 2nd, 3th and 4th of January.
And also the Funk Off Street parade on the 30th of december.
From the others performances, I highlight:Martial Solal, Stefano
Bollani, Enrico Rava, Ernesto Jodos, (from Argentina), Gerald Clayton, (USA), Enrico Pieranunzi,
Renato Sellani, Danilo Rea, Cristiana Pegoraro, Joe Locke,
Lionel Loueke, (from Benin), Roberto Gatto, Paolo Fresu, Daniele Tittarelli e
Rosario Bonaccorso and many more.

For tickets and info:
www.umbriajazz.com

29Th December TRASIMENO BLUES CONCERT In Panicale

Don't miss on the 29th of December

________________________________________

TERRY MC CONNEL & GOSPEL QUINTET
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ENTRANCE AT 21.30 (Ticket € 5,00)

Teatro Caporali PANICALE

INSPIRATIONAL GOSPEL SINGERS

Friday December 19th, 2008 in Piazza del Mercato, in the center of Siena starts the Monthly experimental organic market.

The Monthly experimental organic market is a market for organic farmers and sells mainly organic products. A good way to taste typical Italian food: seasonal fruits and vegetables, honey, wine, oil, pasta, bread, cereals, cheese and more.

Opening: from 8.30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Where: Piazza del Mercato (Market Square) - Siena.

Free entrance.

For further information:
Municipality of Siena - Office for Trading on Public Areas
Ph.: +39 0577 292401

8TH OF DECEMBER TO THE 6TH OF JANUARY - UMBRIA GOSPEL FESTIVAL

FREE ENTRANCE

N'HARMONE' GOSPEL SINGERS

SAN GIUSEPPE'S CHURCH

PACIANO


DON'T MISS ALSO ON THE 29TH OF DECEMBER
PANICALE
ENTRANCE AT 21.30 (Ticket € 5,00)
Teatro Caporali
INSPIRATIONAL GOSPEL SINGERS

FOR ALL THE CONCERTS, PLEASE SEE: http://www.trasimenoblues.net/

First week of December - Paciano - extra virgin olive oil fest

The Olive Oil Festival will be held in the first week of december in the Paciano hinterland.
This year this festival is yet again promoted by Comune di Paciano.
Many olive oil producers of Paciano, will be involved in this event.

There is a rich program for these olive oil days, with tasting, events, concerts and so on.
You will have the chance to know everything about the oil process visiting the Oleificis with me, Alina Pinelli.

From November 8th until Sunday, November 16th -The Crete Senesi White Truffle Fair

San Giovanni d’Asso (Si) – Crete Senesi (various townships south of Siena in Tuscany but a part of the Province of Siena) is a crossroads of flavours and culture. The township of San Giovanni d’Asso, in the heart of Tuscany, invites visitors to discover this land full of history and wines and foods during the 23rd White Truffle Fair.

This happening is in the ambit of “Crete d’Autunno”, an Autumn event proposing a rich program calendar beginning the first weekend of November until December 8th, in the townships of Asciano, Buonconvento, Monteroni d'Arbia, Rapolano Terme and San Giovanni d'Asso.

The Crete Senesi White Truffle Fair will remain open to the public from Saturday, November 8th until Sunday, November 16th. The main event of the Fair will be, as usual, the “Truffle for Peace” Award Ceremony. This year’s award will be given to someone who has distinguished himself/herself in committing to the welcoming and acceptance of people. Every day, the white truffle (or white diamond as it is called here) will be the star of the market stands in the centre of the town. It will also be the desired object of a “guided search” (Saturday, November 8th) and a competition between truffle dogs (Saturday, November 15th) coordinated by the Associazione Tartufai Senesi.


A partnership with the Enoteca Italiana of Siena and the Vini Doc Orcia Consortium will guarantee the quality of the wines used. These two wine associations will have stands for the public for the entire duration of the Fair. This year’s edition will also have the traditional “Sapori Senesi” award for the best pecorino cheese from the territory (the morning of November 9th) and the journeys into the past on board the truffle steam train, departing on November 9th and 16th from Siena and Grosseto. Information of the 23rd White Truffle Fair is available on the website www.terresiena.it. This small capital city of the Siena white truffle will also be the stage for a special event. On Sunday November 9th, the Overland long vehicle will be arriving to the Fair. Overland is the expedition which has been travelling around the world since 1995. Following the arrival of these unique motorized means of transportation, a special event will be dedicated to Overland inside the 14th century Castle of San Giovanni d’Asso and all of the people, means of transportation and social initiatives of this very famous transcontinental expedition will be presented. The day of the 9th of November will conclude with a special award given to the charity activities of the “Overland for Smile” project.

EUROCHOCOLATE - PERUGIA - FROM THE 18th TO THE 26th OCTOBER

Eurochocolate will be Play Chocolate to celebrate game, joy and music, another sweet challenge to free our breeziest part and let our imagination find in the taste of the chocolate, the ludic dimension that belongs to everyone.

Chocolate makes us be back children and Eurochocolate is a great festivity, where everybody comes to know the God’s Food, to taste it in its innumerable, traditional or unusual varieties, to be involved and wrapped in a lively atmosphere that we can live in the historical city center.

The edition 2008 of the most famous chocolate exhibition, therefore, for its fifteen years of life is shown still more amusing and joyful than ever, with new playful and greedy products that will be presented on this occasion by Costruttori di Dolcezze, the new brand by Eurochocolate.

Many initiatives will animate Perugia from the 18th to 26th October and the innovations, still top secret, will be numerous. The irrenounceable appointments, like chocolate courses for children and adults, the international area of Eurochocolate World, dedicated to the cocoa Producers and the not to be missed Chocolate Show, animated by an endless variety of products made of cacao and chocolate will not lack!

Eurochocolate, for the fourth consecutive year, will be preceded, the 12th October, by the Chocoday, the day dedicated to the celebration of pure Chocolate for the defense and the promotion of high quality of the product, in the respect of the criteria of fairness and tenability of the productive row, created and promoted by Eurochocolate with the involvement of many subjects that operate in the world of chocolate.

SOPHIA LOREN AND ROBERT REDFORD AT THE TUSCAN SUN FESTIVAL -4/16 of AUGUST - CORTONA -

The Tuscan Sun Festival, has ben called “Ten Best Summer Arts Festivals in Europe” by The Independent newspaper in the UK, celebrates its fifth anniversary with its most spectacular artistic line-up to date.

Italy’s beloved Sophia Loren will officially open the Festival during a gala concert in honour of her late husband, legendary film producer Carlo Ponti, on August 4th.

The open-air symphonic concert will pay tribute to Ponti’s life and career and will be conducted by their son, Maestro Carlo Ponti Jr. This year’s festival will also feature performances by the Belcea Quartet, Joshua Bell, José Cura, Stéphane Denève, Elïna Garanča, Emmanuelle Haïm, Angelika Kirchschlager, Nina Kotova, Viktoria Mullova, Anna Netrebko, the Takács Quartet, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Nikolaj Znaider.

Robert Redford will performe with a reading of Giacomo Leopardi's poetries.

In addition to its musical programme, the Tuscan Sun Festival will also be celebrating its fifth year with art exhibitions, lectures, cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, and wellness sessions, which will be taking place in lovely settings and venues inside the town of Cortona.

MORE INFO AT:
http://www.festivaldelsole.com/

ps don't miss:
COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS
A local chef will demonstrate how to prepare popular Tuscan dishes, such as Ribollita, Gnocchi and Tuscan meat sauce. The demonstration will be accompanied with copies of the recipes and a tasting sample of what is has been prepared. The cooking demonstrations will take place in the courtyard of Sant’Agostino Monastery.


WINE TASTINGS
In a series of tastings, the Wine Consortium of Cortona will showcase the very best wines of Tuscany, selected from the wide range of high quality wines produced in Val di Chiana. The Consortium, established in 2000, now comprises 19 wineries, 12 of whom will present their wines during the Festival:

Avignonesi
Baldetti Mario
La Braccesca
I.S.I.S. A. Vegni
La Calonica
Tenimenti L. d'Alessandro
Vitivinicola del Cavaliere
Giannoni Fabbri
Baracchi
Fabrizio Dionisio
Cantine Faralli
Querciagrossa

THE SAGRANTINO WINE FESTIVAL AT MONTEFALCO WILL START AT SEPTEMBER

Special guets of the event: the Sagrantino wine special 2004, that is considered one of the best wine in the world.

It will be held in Montefalco (Umbria) but also in Bevagna, Castel Ritaldi, Gualdo Cattaneo and Giano dell'Umbria, from the 20th al 23th of Spetember.

Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG or Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG wines are named after the Sagrantino grape from which they are made. Cultivated for centuries on the hills of Umbria, Sagrantino is considered autochthonous, although there are various theories as to its origin. Some believe it to have come from Spain, others say it was imported by the first Franciscan friars, and others still claim that it was brought into Italy by the Saracens. This DOCG makes a major contribution to the reputation the Region of Umbria has earned as producer of fine wines, known and consumed by popes and governors during the Renaissance. The production zone covers the entire territory of the Communes of Montefalco, Bevagna, Gualdo Cattaneo, Castel Ritaldi and Giano dell’Umbria, within the province of Perugia. The maximum grape yield must not be over 8,000 kg per hectare of specialized vineyard. The vinification and mandatory aging operations must be done within the communes included in the production zone.

Don't miss a visit to this cellar:
www.arnaldocaprai.it

To reach the place, please see:
http://www.stradadelsagrantino.it/canale.asp?id=1941

MEDIEVAL SOCCER MATCH IN FLORENCE - 24TH OF JUNE

In order to celebrate the city's patron saint John the Baptist,on June 24th of June in Florence, there will be a parade in historical costume from the Church of Santa Maria Novella up to the Church of Santa Croce, where the "Calcio Storico" is then played in the dirt-covered square in front of the church.
The match is a combination of soccer, rugby, and big time wrestling, all played while wearing 16th century costumes.


The teams are the four traditional neighborhoods of the city: Santa Croce (blue), Santo Spirito (white), Santa Maria Novella (red), and San Giovanni (green).
The prize is a whole Chianina calf.

Fabulous fireworks will be played 4 this occasion.

For more info, please contact me!

GIOSTRA DEL SARACINO - AREZZO - 15TH OF JUNE

Arezzo's Piazza Grande is the setting of the Giostra del Saracino, or Saracen Tournament.

Held twice a year, a night version on the third Saturday in June and the second on the first Sunday in September, this tournament has its origins in the early 16th century and in its present form, commemorates Christian efforts to hold back the tide of Islam in the 14th century.

There is a lively and colorful procession preceding the event in which eight costumed knights charge towards a wooden representation of the Saracen, aiming to hit the Saracen's shield with lances.

The target is mounted as to swivel around and can actually hit back! Each pair of knights represents one of Arezzo's four rival districts and their supporters each occupy a side of the piazza. The winner receives a golden lance.

4 more info please contact me!

QUINTANA HISTORICAL MATCH - FOLIGNO THE 14TH OF JUNE

Foligno, the city that calls itself lu centru de lu munnu, the “centre of the world”, is indeed best known for its Quintana joust in June and September, during which knights from its ten districts compete for the coveted Palio. Each rider must charge his horse and attempt to send his lance through the progressively smaller rings that are attached to the “Quintana” wooden statue.

But the Quintana is more than just a joust, it is a colourful event that involves all of Foligno’s inhabitants and a celebration of the history, customs and even food of the lavish baroque era when the town was at the peak of its wealth. Throughout the event the city’s museums, magnificent palazzi and churches will be open to the public.

Programme:
Monday June 2nd, 8.30pm: Great Banquet in the courtyard of Palazzo Trinci
Friday June 13th, 9pm: procession in period costume
Saturday June 14th, 9pm: Joust at the “Campo de li Giochi”

http://www.quintana.it.

GRAMMY'S WINNER HARBIE HANCOCK, ALICIA KEYS, CHAKA KAHN, CAETANO VELOSO AND MANY OTHERS AT THE UMBRIA JAZZ FESTIVAL IN PERUGIA FROM THE 11ST OF JULY

This 35th Umbria jazz festival edition will be really reach. From the 11st of July to the 22nd of July, 200 events will be held in Perugia. Here some of the top concert suggestions: The italian best jazz singer, Mario Biondi with the Duke orchestra will open the festival on the 11st of July. Alicia Keys - will performe on the 19th of july. Pat Metheny will duets with Gary Burton on the 17th of July. Sonny Rollins the 13th of July. Herbie Hancock will performe on the 16th of July with a tribute to Joni M. REM will performe the festival's last day. Form more information contact me!!!! tks a

TRASIMENO MUSIC FESTIVAL - AT THE AND OF JULY

The festival will be held from June 28 to July 4, 2008, is visible on the programme page of the website:

http://www.trasimenomusicfestival.com/index.php


Don't miss Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (arranged by Henry Levine), the 28th of July, 9.15 pm.

Opera, Padmâvatî arrives from India at the SPOLETO FESTIVAL - (27th of june up to the 13th of july)

Thanks to a collaboration with the 51st Festival of the Two Worlds of Spoleto, Padmâvatî, a masterpiece of French orientalism, returns to Italy, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

It had been on stage in Naples at the beginning of the 50s, directed by Andre Cluytens, and in Florence at the beginning of the 70s, directed by Georges Prêtre.Presented after a long staging preparation in Paris in 1923, the opera was inspired by the author’s journeys to the East and it elaborates manners, elements and structures of Oriental music in a Neoclassical style, finding an important place within the Oriental world that strongly influenced French culture in the most original of ways. In this opera-ballet, reinventing Lully’s genre, Roussel merged music, theatre, and dance elements indissolubly.

The libretto was written by Orientalist Louis Laloy and is based on the ancient chronicles of India.

4 MORE INFORMATION ON THE SPOLETO'S FESTIVAL DEI DUE MONDI:

http://www.festivaldispoleto.com/interno.asp?id=7&lang=eng

Flower Film Festival 2008 - Spello 4th, 5th e 6th of July

International film festival dedicated to the world of green, flower and enviroment.

The village will appear like a flowers factory. With workshop, events, arts performances, film contests, live music....

4 all details, will be there soon on line their web site:

www.flowerfilmfestival.it.

SIENA'S PALIO HORSE RACE

"Piazza del Campo" is still used today for the well known Palio horse race which is one of the most famous popular Italian manifestations. It takes place every year on July 2 and August 16. The Palio is run to celebrate the miraculous apparition of the Virgin Mary near the old houses that belonged to Provenzano Salvani. The holy apparition was therefore called "Madonna di Provenzano" in whose honour the very first Palio was run on August 16, 1656. The Palio was run for the first time in 1701 in honour of the "Madonna dell'Assunta" the patroness and Advocate of Siena through all the tragic events since she protected the Sienese militia at the famous battle of Monteaperti on September 4, 1260, against the Florentines.

The Palio is a historical secular tradition strictly connected with the origin of the Contradas of Siena (districts into which the town is divided). The Contradas are spectacular agonistic institutions each having their own government, oratory, coat of arms, appellations, sometimes titles of nobility, emblems and colours, official representatives, festivities, patron Saints, with protectors, delimited territories and population which consist of all those people who were born or live within the topographic limits of the district, according to the proclamation issued by Violante Beatrice of Bavaria on January 7, 1730, at that time, Governess of the town.

Originally, there were about fifty-nine "Contrade"; now only seventeen remain, ten of which take part in the historical pageant and in the race at each Palio (seven by right and three drawn by lots).
Here is a list of their names, emblems and colours grouped into "Terzi" or "Terzieri" (in olden times the town was divided into three sections called: "Terziere di Città", "Terziere di San Martino" and "Terziere di Camollia").
4 more info's please contact me!

IL PINTORICCHIO- ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ARTIST OF THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE - UP TO THE 28TH OF JUNE

The Pintoricchio exhibition is part of a grand project to maximise appreciation of the rich cultural and artistic heritage in Umbria; this event has been planned to celebrate the 550th anniversary of the birth of Pintoricchio one of the most fascinating protagonists of the Italian Renaissance and a symbol of the city of Perugia.

Following the success of the Perugino exhibition in 2004, this new exhibition represents a continuation of the initiative to promote the works of the great Umbrian artists and to draw attention – both of the public and national and international critics - to the stunning artistic and cultural heritage of the region and its extraordinary diffusion across the territory.

The exhibition will be held in Perugia at the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria, which has recently completed work to recuperate and enlarge its exhibition spaces. There will also be a second section in Spello, in the Collegiata di Santa Maria Maggiore. The Capella Baglioni, better known as the Capella Bella, is the location of one of Pintoricchio’s most impressive masterpieces.

The opening of the exhibition will also see the inauguration of a specially designed illumination system to optimise the vision of this prestigious cycle of frescoes. In addition to this, a temporary educational display has been installed to provide visitors with detailed information about the historical, artistic and iconographic aspects of the paintings and their location. In the nearby Pinacoteca Civica, there will be a small exhibition on “Pintoricchio e le arti minori”. This ambitious artistic event will be further enriched by regional routes and itineraries that will lead visitors on a voyage of discovery across the territory, where they will be able to admire numerous works by Pintoricchio and other extraordinary pieces from the Renaissance period, in their original surroundings.

OPENING HOURS AND PRICE
Information and Bookings
199 199 111 servizi@civita.it Civita Servizi
199.151.123 infoline@sistemamuseo.it Sistema Museo

Perugia Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria at Palazzo dei Priori
Corso Vannucci, 19

Daily Opening hours
31st March – 29th June 2008 from 9.30 to 20.00
(The ticket office will close one hour prior to closing time)

http://www.mostrapintoricchio.it/ENG/pintoricchio/pintoricchio.htm

MORE MUSIC IN SUMMER WITH....TRASIMENO BLUES (28TH OF JULY- 2ND OF AUGUST)

TRASIMENO BLUS, A FESTIVAL FOR MUSIC LOVERS.

From the 28th of July to the 2nd of August.

I'm in contact with the organization, so we can see in advance the artists that will sing at the Festival.

It's sounds ...good!!!

ciao

alina

ANTIQUE FAIR IN AREZZO - DON'T MISS

ANTIQUE FAIR WITH OVER 500 EXHIBITORS AND ANTIQUE DEALERS ON THE FIRST WEEKEND OF EACH MONTH, MAKING THIS THE LARGER MARKET IN ITALY.

I'LL BE THER THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE!!!

http://www.arezzofieraantiquaria.com/web/index.php

umbria jazz -4 the best summer in Umbria- Perugia city -July 6 -15

MUSIC:
if you like music this is the best festival we have
Perugia - July 6 -15 - Umbria Jazz Festival: the Umbria Jazz Festival 2007 is, without any doubt, one of the most important event dedicated to jazz in Europe. Since 1973, when was inaugurated the first edition of the Festival Umbria Jazz, the biggest jazz artists have come to Perugia. For more information: http://www.umbriajazz.com



I'm sure..I'll be there...

ciao


alina