Claudia, Author at Italy Advisor

Opera in Italy

The opera season starts generally October and goes to March or to April. Then it comes the outdoor performances in the summer. Opera houses hold theater and dance performances at other times of the year, too.

Where are the top opera houses and theaters in Italy?

La Fenice (the Phoenix) is in Venice and gained the fame in all Europe. La Fenice in fact first opened in 1792 but the theatre was twice damaged by fire. Milan’s most famous opera house is Teatro Alla Scala, incredible feelings going there for all the opera fans.

Parma’s neo-classical theatre was built in 1829 and it holds opera, dance, and drama performances and the Teatro Comunale di Bologna‘s opera house is a fab example of 18th century baroque architecture in the heart of Bologna’s historic area. Teatro Verdi in Pisa (1867) has 900-seat auditorium and a beautiful ceiling fresco.

Rebuilt in 1973, Turin’s opera house is in Piazza Castello, because the original 19th century theatre was destroyed by fire.

But if you go in the South of Italy, you are going to the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, surely the oldest opera house in Italy (1737). Here opera, ballet, and short comic opera are still performed. And also the beautiful Teatro Massimo in Palermo is one of the finest theatre in Europe. Opened in 1897, the programme includes opera, ballet, and music.

And back to the Italy capital, Rome, we find stunning opera houses as in the summertime opera and dance performances are held in the ancient Baths of Caracalla, a spectacular setting outdoor “worth-a-visit”. Another fantastic historic setting for opera is represented by the well-known Arena di Verona, a restored ancient arena from Roman Empire period. The open-air opera season starts in June but sometimes it is possible to see other performances over the year. Keep in touch with the main website and the tickets website: you will find your fab opera to follow in one of the most astonishing and beautiful locations in Italy!!!

Pizza recipes: tricks and treat

How to make a good home made pizza? The recipe is still fundamental for those who are trying to make pizza for the first time and want to achieve a crispy result. At home, it is not that easy to duplicate the same pizza you have tasted in Italy, coming from the hands of a “pizzaiolo” and from the womb of a wood burning oven!!

The flour is chosen with care and the pizza master can make the dough fly in the air. But also we simple home cooks have our little tricks to make real and good out attempt to make an home-made pizza.

Let’s talk about the flour: in Italy, most of the pizza professionals use “00” flour, a very fine type but there are many different “00” kind in the Italian market, to suit specific uses. As a general guidance to make pizza,you should use an Italian “00” type flour made from soft wheat.In those countries where the flour is classified as soft, plain, strong and very strong, it is better to use plain flour. Strong and very strong flours are for making the traditional bread.

For the dough, you should use flour, water, yeast and a bit of olive oil. The ideal temperature for the pizza dough? 22°C.

You can raise the dough for two hours but it is even better if you can wait at least 8 hours: in this way the dough can have the time to develop flavour and texture.

A traditional pizza base has to be very thin: so put a thin pizza base, in a very hot oven! Use “passata di pomodoro”, a bit of oregano and olive oil, if you want.

If you have a professional electric oven, the oven temperature should be between 280°C and 320°C while the cooking time should be 3-4 minutes. With a home cooker oven, don not go above 240°C (gas mark 9), while you need to cook the pizza for about 7-10 minutes.

A night at La Scala in Milan

Italy has many beautiful, historic opera houses: the majority of them still works as theaters. Opera addict can’t but visit at least one opera house once they get to Italy and enjoy a fantastic live performance. For example, out there there is an incredible “bargain” for all that love opera and Milan!

This year and for the very first time, the tickets for the first night of the opera season at La Scala (traditionally reserved for the city administrators and politicians and also for national and international personalities and celebrities) now are already on sale to the general audience.

So everybody can access “la Prima” at Teatro Alla Scala, which is Milan’s famous opera house, and also one of the Italian most famous theatre. This particular event (that is, La Prima) has always been an occasion for showing off, but also for protests by animal lovers against fur coats.

Just a few words on what happened in the recent years: La Scala was bombed during World War II in 1946 it has been opened again and quickly the theatre took back its reputation as top Italian opera house. La Scala opened again in December 2004 after an extensive and intense renovation. Inside you will find a lovely bookshop, a bar and an interesting history museum, too. The original opera house has been designed by the neoclassical architect Giuseppe Piermarini, and it was opened in 1778: many famous operas were first performed here in Milan in this particular location.

The first performance of the season this year it will be Don Giovanni on 7 December. Swedish baritone Peter Mattei is going to sing the title role in the Mozart’s best-known opera: drama and pleasure, meaning masterpiece! You can’t miss it if you are a true “melomane” (opera fan)! So together with la Madunina check it out the opportunity of grabbing thi one-life occasion and sit in La Scala for the first performance of the entire season!

Tickets are available from €840 to €2,400.

Venice in winter: explore the “Carnevale”

Venice Carnevale is Italy’s top carnival event, meaning the “mardi gras” festivity or Shrove Tuesday. Remember if you are in Italy that Carnevale lasts several weeks and that Carnevale dates change every year, but it will be Shrove Tuesday that means forty days before Easter.
During carnival period, Venice is full of masks and characters, loads of entertainment opportunity, and food stalls in the various “piazze” or “ca” (street as they called it in Venetian dialect).
Visiting Venice during the Carnevale Season is an immense fun, but it is an holiday that needs to be planned ahead. Why? Hotels often charge high season prices during Carnevale. There’s lots of fab public entertainment, especially starting in early evening. The main attraction is for sure the people in the streets, all dressed up in their elaborate costumes and masks. You can join them and hang out all over the piazzas.

The best Carnevale experience? Of course it is when you join the crew and wear a costume or a mask yourself!
Where to find the main events? Around Piazza San Marco, but do not forget to check the programme: Carnevale events takes place also in every “Sestiere”. The final fireworks show are in Piazza San Marco, though, and it is the peak of the Carnevale season for real!!!
In the evening , you can reach a party or a masked balls inside the manifold hotels. But you have to know that the attendance at a ball, plus a wonderful costume, can costs you about 500 euro. And you need to book ahead.
Stay in Venice from the Wednesday through the Saturday prior to Carnevale to avoid the biggest crowds if you are a family or old. But enjoy the madness of Tuesday instead, if you feel like merging yourself completely in the Venice Carnevale!!

Ivrea Carnival Orange battle: in the middle of the orange

The colorful joy of the Carnevale of Ivrea , held on the traditional carnival date, 40 days before Lent.

Ivrea is a small city about 40 minutes North of Turin. It was a “computer city” while it is the headquarter of Olivetti, an Italian famous brand in this sector. The computer industry has gone East, but its everlasting fame has connected to one time a year during Carnival: in Ivrea it takes place a unique, exciting, ancient and “juicy”…orange battle!

The battle is an allegoric record of a local insurrection in 1194. It was a revolt against the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick of Swabia Barbarossa (Red Beard). Violetta, a local heroin, was the one who started the insurrection, which resulted in the destruction of a castle.

In the center of Ivrea and by the left bank of the River Dora, on battle day, thousands of red juicy oranges to throw as well as a long “carpet” of already crushed oranges that could reach a foot high is waiting for you! Together of course with loads of “Vin brulé” glasses to drink,and on the horizont you will see horses pulling high carriages full of helmeted and armored warriors of the tyrant, while Violetta la Mugnaia (the miller) arrives on a low carriage, while throwing yellow mimosa flowers and candies at the crowd.

A moltitude of red hats called Phrygian hats (berretti di Frigia or berretti frigi) coming from the ancient area of Phrygia (Turkish Anatolia) symbolizing freedom that is the red bonnet symbols of the French Revolution!!! You must go into the battle areas, remove your hat to join the battle. Near the battle areas there are protective nets, though, for the visitors.

The carriages with the representatives of the Emperor soon will get surrounded by unarmored orange-throwing audience in medieval costumes. The exchange will be throwing hundreds and hundreds of oranges!!

The Old Bridge area is the most fantastic “war” scenerio. The streets are very narrow and so the orange pulp piles up so high that a snow-removing tractors is needed to clear it!!! Fifty years ago they allowed to throw oranges from the windows too. But now everyone are not targeting red-hat “civilians” while the river at the end of the battle will carry tons of oranges!!!

Venice in winter time: events and festivals

Venice and its beautiful churches: life is a fantastic and watery adventure in this town.

One of the greatest place to visit ever, Venice is a multisensorial trip to bring you in an aesthetics feeling that touches all your senses! You can’t come here without visiting the enormous and artistic squares, tasting a bit of fegatini alla veneziana, with a ombra di vino (a little glass of wine) sitting outside the Florian, one of the ancient cafè in Venice!!!

Your perceptions will expand in this magic, esoteric town!! The level of pulchratudine (beauty), to use a Latin word, here in Venice reaches the highest peak!!

The beautiful church of Santa Maria della Salute is one of the great church to visit once in venice. Its origin are connected to a horrible event: the plague of Venice in 1630-31. To stop the hopelessness, the Venetians asked for a divine intervention, promising to build a church in honour of the Virgin Mary. The young architect Baldassare Longhena was appointed with the church once the plague was over and Santa Maria della Salute has been finished in 1682.

The grateful Venetians celebrate since then the occasion on November 21st of each year.

One of the town’s most incredible celebrations, with thousands of e pilgrims across a specially set up pontoon bridge. Everyone holds a candle in their hands and you can also buy it at booths placed in the square outside the church.

These are completely lit inside, and the candles are put also in large trays filled with sand set around inside the church.

The arrival of the Patriarch (bishop) of Venice leading a procession of priests, cardinals and carabinieri to the church is something amazing to watch and follow.

Napoli Pizza: the story and the fun

Campania is renowned around the world for its exuberant food which is full of sun: vegetables and herbs, salty capers, dried pasta, and fresh farmhouse cheeses like the great buffalo’s Mozzarella (Mozzarella di bufala). An outstanding gourmet’s favourites mozzarella cheese, the Mozzarella di Bufala coming from this region is totally famous and a fab choice to add to your great dishes.

The fertile soil around the Vesuvius and a wealthy fishing industry make Campania one of the most flavoursome and interesting cuisine in the whole Italian Peninsula.

The seafood dishes are tasty while the pastries comes from the Far East: Greek and Arabic influence and heritage show off in some dishes that often contain honey, nuts, and a lot of different spices. Another great Campanian dish is melanzane alla parmigiana: a multitude of fried slices of aubergine gratineed with tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese!!!

During the nineteenth century, all the people in the city of Naples were nicknamed as “Mangia Spaghetti” (Spaghetti Eaters). Naples in particular is famous for its pasta dishes: here spaghetti is served along with sugo di pomodoro, a tomato sauce. Neapolitans still remain attached to this tradition of pasta-addicts, also because their pasta is home-made and it is the most various and best quality pasta in Italy.

But Naples is the undeniable home of the most famous Italian dishes: the ‘pizza’ . Everyone knows that and during a trip in Naples, you can’t avoid eating it!!!

The Pizza Margherita is particulary famous: this variety of pizza was created and named after Queen Margherita, when the royal family visited the city. This delicious and tasty dish is made with a lot of mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and basil: each ingredients represents indeed the red, white, and green of the Italian flag.

The Amalfi Peninusla, a jewel in the South of Italy

Italy’s Amalfi Coast is a really famous and a very romantic destination. Its coastline is unbelievable interesting, fantastic sea, and good climate has fascinated guests since Roman period. The Amalfi Peninsula is very interesting and beautiful: let’s go and explore the Amalfi Coast towns and the island of Capri from the towns of Positano and Amalfi.

Built on the face of a cliff, Positano is one of the most fantastic towns on the coast. From Positano you can visit other towns by bus and ferries but also you can go to the town of Sorrento.

Also built on the slopes of the cliffs, here is Amalfi, a nice and historical resort town.

Amalfi Coast roads are somehow narrow and windy, and travelling by bus or car is not always easy. It can take more then one day trip to travel around and visit the coast, so it would be interesting to stop for one night also in Sorrento, a lovely town just on the other side of the Peninsula.

Loads of ferries run between Sorrento and Amalfi or Positano: in this way you have the chance to visit both parts of the peninsula as well as view all the coast from the sea.

Food on the Amalfi Coast and Cilento are both parts of Campania Region. The ingredients are very fresh and the local kitchen is fab.

What to eat then? As an appetiser we can choose Caprese (not named after Capri for nothing): fresh Mozzarella with even fresher tomatoes and Basil or fresh Rucola salad with lemon juice. Lemons are really big in this area!

Campania are well-known for its fish and seafood specialties. In the Amalfi and Cilento coasts you can find octopussy: a famous recipe involves stewing it in a sealed clay pot with olive oil, garlic, capers, olives, and parsley or with chili and tomatoes. Mussels and clams “al sugo” are added plain or with tomato sauce to handmade pasta.

Squid and cuttlefish are the stars here: you can find either boiled and served in salads, stuffed and baked, or simply fried into tasty rings.

Firenze and its winter festivals

Many events to come in winter for Florence!!!

For instance, from late October to early November, it will be nice to visit the Florence Art and Restoration Fair (The Salone dell’Arte e del Restauro di Firenze). This is one of the latest cultural fairs to have started in Florence. During the week-long event, the fair gives visitors an overview inside the heart of the world of art restoration from around the world.

Last Sunday in November it comes the Florence Marathon, a recognized race.

It starts out on in Piazzale Michelangelo and ends in Piazza Santa Croce.

Truffle Season in November is at its highest moment, so it is a full opportunity to find fresh and special truffle dishes in Florence restaurants.

Early- to Mid-December you can visit the Hanukkah, a festivity celebrated in the Ghetto (the Jewish area of Florence), actually the first segregated Jewish community in Europe. The Florence Synagogue is located just north of Santa Croce, for the lighting of the Menorrah, kosher food finds, and Hanukkah festivities.

The Immaculate Conception is on the 8th December , when the Catholic churches celebrate the day of the Virgin Mary’s conception of Jesus. The Fierucolina dell’Immacolata takes place in Florence in this period of Winter, that is an art and food fair in Piazza Santissima Annunziata.

Mid-December until mid-January is the starting for the Christmas Markets in Florence. Several Christmas fairs are located in Florence, and among the others, really nice is the Mercato Tedesco di Natale (the German Christmas Market) which is held in Piazza Santa Croce. It is full of stalls selling some typical German crafts, but also loads of Italian-made nativity crafts, children’s toys, and seasonal treats.

Another Christmas market to visit? Let’s go to Florence Noel at Stazione Leopolda near Porta al Prato as soon as you arrived in Florence train station!

TorinoDanza 2011: dancing Italy

Started on the 5th Sept up to the 4th Dec 2011, Torinodanza 2011 is a successful dance festival, organised as the most visionary programming yet attempted by the promoters in Turin.

If you are around checking the truffles fairs in Piedmont, you can’t miss a visit to beautiful Turin and also to this interesting event!

The Torinodanza festival is always in their gracious search for what the organisers call “an ethical and aesthetic centre of gravity” for the numerous events and the extravagant programme against a socially and politically worrying global backdrop.

The programme offers the likes of Bartabas with his “Le centaure et l’animal”, an astonishing mix between the creator of gypsy equestrian theatre and Ko Murobushi, the great Japanese Butoh artist.

Among the returning artists we highlight Philippe Decouflé, Emio Greco and Maguy Marin “remarkable for their capacity to evoke light and life out of darkness2 and tell us a story that is “unconstrained, political and visionary”.

This very peculiar edition also embrace the visions and the art of the contemporary circus, a workshop for visionary element and passion. The festival ends its experimental fleur with Karine Saporta’s La Princesse de Milan, based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and also with Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s prototype of pure dance.

But not only international artists: the audience will have the occasion and the opportunity to meet and appreciate the contemporary Italian choreography, but also to understand the local scene with other dance associations and companies of the Piedmont region.

For booking and further information, see the website www.torinodanzafestival.it