'Art should not be just the froth on the top of the main soup; it should have a concrete, measurable effect in a community.' - Gian Carlo
Menotti
Honestly, no one is sure if it was Gian Carlo Menotti or Sam Barber who offered that now-famous insight. But what we do know is out of that
simple
statement grew one of the greatest ideas for a festival the world has seen.
After their conversation in 1958, both searched for a town in which to hold the festival - one that would appreciate the works being displayed
(and able
to participate themselves.) Both men looked for such a location - Menotti in Italy and Barber, an American composer, in the United States. The first
find was Menotti's, however. His discovery consisted of a small town in desperate need for an infusion of artistic splendor and increased human
traffic. This Umbrian hill town, just north of Rome, was Spoleto.
The town was a meager one, at best: the main population consisted of both the elderly and extremely young children. Middle-aged folks had left
the
area because of Spoleto's sepulchuresque economy, were forced to search for work outside of their small provincial hometown. In fact, back then the
town's unemployment rate was said to hover around 60 percent, and even some think THAT is too kind.
Menotti and Barber believed they could infuse some commercialism into the town with their festival idea. When the two men proposed the idea to
the city
leaders, the leaders were more than enthusiastic - it was the first idea proposed in some time that would help booster their flagging economy.
Years later, Spoleto is a thriving Italian town. With funds generated from the festival, the town was able to rebuild and reconstruct many of the
towns decrepit buildings, construct new ones, add shops, cafes and restaurants, restore homes and make a great deal of smaller, public
improvements. The arts play a huge role in the Spoleto community year-round. The center of town is continuously crowded with both Italians and tourists
alike, each and every one desperate to catch a glimpse of street artists in action. Thus, tourism is now the staple of Spoleto economy. All because of
a little idea two men in a deli thought up so long ago. And, of course, Menotti still presides over the festival each year.
Today, the festival is quite different from its unimpressive beginning. International performers come together in Spoleto for three weeks each
June
to participate in a wide variety of dance, drama, opera, concert and art exhibits and expositions. The main focus, however, is to highlight music
composed in the 14th through 18th centuries.
Even still, culture icons such as Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolph Nureyev are among those that have graced the enigmatic stages of the Spoleto
festival. Acclaimed actors Leslie Caron and Al Pacino have starred in dramatic Festival performances. Zubin Mehta and Christian Baden have served as
guest conductors. Yo-Yo Ma and Ezra Pound have also participated in the Festival. If you're more of a movie-goer, don't fret: In the 1990s, the Festival
board created Spoletocinema, a film series where directors as prominent as Cassavetes and Kurosawa have displayed rare works shot particularly for
Festival entry.
For more information or to purchase tickets to the Festival dei Due Mondi, either write to Piazza Duomo 7, 06049 Spoleto, call (0743/220-320)
or (0743/45-028) or fax (0743/220-321.) If you're already in Italy during the festival, you can also find information and tickets at the Teatro Nuovo
box office at Piazza Belli; call (0743/40-265) for additional info. | | |
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