Unfortunately, this is not one of our pictures of the teatro del quattromila at Torre del Lago, as I forgot the camera on Friday. Thank you to Viareggio tourist board for the photo!
Yes Friday the 13th, and luckily between showers, we attended a performance of Tosca at the annual summer Puccini Festival. It was wonderful! A lovely evening, a great atmosphere and fantastic singing, all ending in Roman drama at the Castel St. Angelo. There was lots of flying fabric on stage and plenty of glitter in the audience too. There is something about the aria Visse d’Arte in Act 2 which is quite wonderful, I think it is the age old emotional plea for mercy by those in peril to a tyrant, conquerer or abuser that we know tears the heart of those of us that look on, yet you know will not move the oppresser. It creates a very moving, sad and tearful scene. It also comes with a heart rendingly beautiful Puccini tune.
Today, the 15th August is Ferragusto and we are told this is the most important holiday in the Italian calender. We do not know yet what this all means but there is definately a party atmosphere around at the moment with music and dining everywhere (except yesterday when it rained all day). Music and singing comes up from the Circolo (village hall) below us, some of it very atmospheric and pleasant, some more like a merry karoke night, but they switch off at midnight, go home and will probably do it all again tonight. So lets put on our dancing shoes and join in – summer will soon be gone.