It was a breathtaking performance in the piazza. Representing birth, the cycles of nature and the arch of the human experience, the troupe captured both the wellspring of tradition and the spirit of innovation in their moving dance ensemble.
This moving performance on the 24th of July was part of the Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte, now in its 42nd edition. The festival, which was created in 1976 by the celebrated composer Hans Werner Henze, takes as its key features the interaction between artists of international prestige and young talent, and attention to schooling in the various professions of the arts and performance. Opera, music, prose, art, and media. It is this very simple idea that has allowed Montepulciano to resonate its signature style across the arts world.
There are a number of co-productions and partnerships with other important national and International entities: from the Frankfurt Opera to the Scala di Milano and the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen. The festival emphasizes experimentation through study and practical sessions on composition and performance techniques. But traditional music classics, which attract the general public, are also abundantly showcased. All productions and staging are realized locally: Montepulciano and its territory become an open air stage in theatres, squares, churches and alleyways.
Enriched in this way, visitors and locals alike recognize the festival as being authentic and generous, where content and form are part of the social context. During the summer in Montepulciano, this cultural project continuous to grow entrenched with the land while continuing to enhance its international outlook.
The very nature of Cantiere means that rehearsals are an intrinsic part of the event, and therefore, always open to the public. During a stroll, tourists and visitors can meet with orchestras, ensembles and actors preparing for performance: in this way a visit to the poliziano historical town centre becomes a holistic experience, where the marvels of architecture and landscape combine with the musical harmony and cultural creativity offered by the hundreds of artists present in Montepulciano during the Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte.
In the same way art and taste combine with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: every year in the program, there are social evenings in which the artistic components and the oenologic excellence generate further cultural socialization which reinforces the enjoyment and attractiveness of this renown city and its surrounding lands.
The 43rd Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte ran from 12th to 29th of July 2018. Opera, symphonic and chamber music concerts, contemporary ballet, theatre, performance; more than 40 events take place in Montepulciano and in the hinterland of Siena with over 400 international artists during the Cantiere.
The 44th will take place in July 2019 and if you will be near Tuscany this summer it is not to be missed, but you’ll need to hurry to get your tickets (https://www.fondazionecantiere.it/en/).
