Paula's Tour Talk

Bringing Down the House

 

From Guest Blogger Toni DeBella 

Orvieto, Italy

In most playhouses throughout the world the storytelling takes place behind the curtain. In the case of Orvieto, Italy’s neoclassical Teatro Mancinelli: the story is the curtain.

When entering the theatre’s ornately decorated atrium, you walk through the doorway and into the theatre’s bell-shaped orchestra. There in front of you is the magnificent curtain (sipario storico) filling the entire stage, top to bottom. It makes quite a dramatic, lasting first impression – a natural centerpiece to an already elegant and architecturally brilliant interior.

 At first glance you might assume that this remarkable textile is actually an intricately woven tapestry, but you would be mistaken. Closer examination reveals that this historical representation of the Goths being expelled from Oriveto in 535 A.D. is actually a painting. More astonishing than the fact it was painted with such realistic and artistic perfection - the curtain was actually completed by Fracassini in only 40 days!

  The construction of the original Teatro Mancinelli began in 1856 and was completed in 1862. The theatre most recently underwent an extensive ten-year restoration between 1983 and 1993. During the renovation process the acoustical characteristics were preserved, thereby retaining the theatre’s reputation as one of the most perfect stages for live sound in all of Italy - and surely one of the most beautiful.

Each and every performance - from operas, symphonies, Umbria Jazz and dance – are introduced to audiences by way of this wonderful, richly tinted backdrop in deep colors of red, gold and black. If you are unable to stay in Oriveto long enough to attend one of the theatre’s many scheduled programs, be sure to visit to see firsthand the masterwork of Frascassini and fellow artist Annibale Angelini.

The city of Orvieto is so full of captivating and historically significant sites--the most well-known,of course, is its Gothic Duomo (cathedral) built in the 14th century.  If the famous Duomo is considered to be Orivieto's medieval "diamond", then Teatro Mancinelli must be deemed its "pearl."  

 Visits to the theatre can be made Tuesdays – Sundays; 10:00 a.m – 6:00 p.m.

Tickets: 2 euro

For information and group reservations, call (39) 0763/340422 or email: info@teatromancinelli.it

For more great stories about Orivieto, check out Toni's blog Orvieto or Bust

Grazie mille, Toni! I've seen the Duomo,not this gorgeous theatre.  Next time for sure.

 

 

 

Renaissance Portraits at the Met in NY

 

Take this rare opportunity to see many wonderful portraits, including sculpture busts, in NY this winter.  Most almost never leave Italy.

Toni DeBella, my partner for our Pleasures and Treasures of Umbria and Tuscany tour this fall, has wriiten a wonderful post about her friends Velia and Valentina in Orvieto.

Velia will be teaching the cooking class on our tour and we'll eat very well indeed at Valentina's restaurant.

Read the story of these two "soul sisters"   and then watch the great video Toni created about them.

 

100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go

Susan Van Allen's wonderful book 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go  will fuel your desires for Italy. Written in a refreshingly breezy style, this is a book to savor and enjoy as well as a fine guide for travel.

It begins with the women who have shaped the Italian psyche--Venus and the Virgin Mary--reminding women that they are rightly adored.

Susan offers 20 places where you can see the evidence of this admiration, ranging from paintings in Florence depicting the Annunciation to the Archeological Museum in Naples with its Callipygian Venus (that's Venus of the Beautiful Buttocks).

After that fine beginning, Susan shares her favorite villas and palaces, gardens and beaches. Some are well known, but others will be new even to the experienced Italophile.

For instance, I am intrigued by the Tarot Garden, a contemporary art park in Tuscany with Niki de Sant Phalle's sculptures of Tarot deck figures, and plan to visit on my next trip.

Like a fabulous girlfriend offering ideas for your trip to Italy, Susan tells you about the important things-- like where to find the best gelato, coffee and wine, and of course, where to shop for leather, jewelry, lingerie, and other delights.

Want to experience an Italian spa or get a stylish haircut? Susan tells you where. Or maybe you prefer skiing, hiking, biking or yoga? Or cooking classes, language study, mask-making, or a night at the opera?  You'll discover all that and more in 100 Places.

Of course, you'll find addresses, hours, and other practical information here, but I especially like how Susan ends each chapter with a suggestions for a "Golden Day."  Like this one for Fiesole, just twenty minutes by bus from Florence (and one of my favorite places):

Golden Day: See the Villa Medici Gardens and explore the other treasures of Fiesole--the Roman Theater and Duomo. Lunch at the loggia of Villa San Michele (Via Doccia 4), a former convent with a facade designed by Michelangelo, that has become a romantic luxury hotel. Views from the restaurant are transcendant; the food refined and delicious.

Whether you dreaming of Italy, planning your first trip, or returning for the 15th time, I recommend you read this marvelous book: 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go.

Want more? Check out Susan's blog Golden Days in Italy  or this About page with information about Susan and links to interviews.

I'd love to hear about your favorite places in Italy. What 3 things would you tell your girlfriends not to miss?

 

 

Serenissima: Venice in Winter

Venice has been my soul's home since my first glimpse on a gray, chilly, rainy October afternoon. The light was stunning and it was love at first sight.

Since it has long been a goal of mine to spend a winter in Venice, I was delighted to receive a copy of this new book of photographs and essays.

Washington Post photography columnist, Frank Van Riper, and his photographer wife, Judith Goodman, have produced a gorgeous book, Serenissima: Venice in Winter.

With over 125 stunning photos, it captures the deep beauty and magic of a place that all too often is portrayed as a kind of touristy Disneyland of riotous color and carnival banality.

From Serenissima (c) Goodman/VanRiper

It's an oversize book of black and white photographs of Venice, shot in the half-light gray tones of winter afternoons, early mornings, and dark misty nights.

It's a book of Venetian faces-- of firefighters and brides, children and chance encounters.

   

From Serenissima (c) Goodman/VanRiper

It's photos of shadowy passageways, hidden gardens, small canals and bridges shot with sensitivity and an artist's eye.

In Serenissima you'll also find eerily lovely photos of well-known places like Piazza San Marco, and the jewel box La Fenice transformed into something new and evocative in the winter light.

But that's not all. Van Riper's accompanying essays offer an excellent introduction to Venetian history and insight into the challenges she faces with an aging dwindling population, high water, and rapidly disappearing every day commodities.

Yet these personal essays are not just a re-hashing of the usual material that you can find in so many other books.

These are enhanced with stories about the people and places in the photos and colored by this couple's love of the the Venice that comes out only in the winter.

Whether you are longing to get back to Venice or preparing to see it for the first time, Serenissima: Venice in Winter  is a fine addition to your library.

_____________________

Links: See more photos on Serenissma's web page,  read about the saga of getting Serenissma published, and learn about Frank Van Riper's and Judith Goodman's photo tours to Italy  and Maine.