The East in Macerata

Free entrance

In an opera season which pays homage to the East, Macerata celebrates the twinning with Taicang, one of the hundred most dynamic realities in China. A relationship based on equality and mutual benefit, aimed at promoting mutual economic and business development between the two cities, as well as achieving fruitful exchanges and effective cooperation in the fields of science and technology, culture, sport, health, education and talent.

And precisely ‘talents’ is the talking point at the Macerata Opera Festival, when we take a look at this collaboration with the Chinese city. Kung Fu and Taicang martial arts students will take part in the “Night of the Opera”, becoming the protagonists of the evening which transforms Macerata into an open-air stage where dragons, lanterns, and costumes designed by the Confucius Institute parade along the streets of the city. These special guests from China will be on the Sferisterio stage on Thursday August 3, to perform in a show which is unique of its kind.

To celebrate Macerata’s relationship with the East, one cannot but mention those personalities who have linked the Marche with the Asian continent throughout history.

At the centre of the 53rd edition of the Macera opera season we find our fellow citizens who have explored the far Eastern empires, such as the orientalist Giuseppe Tucci or the Capuchin monk Cassiano Beligatti, following in the footsteps of Father Matteo Ricci.

The Magazzini UTO (via Antonio Gramsci) host the inaugural exhibition of the “Macerata Opera Festival” entitled “Tucci l’esploratore dell’anima” (“Tucci, the Explorer of the Soul”), a collection of photos and videos of the expeditions to the Himalayas of the explorer from Macerata, considered in his time the world’s most famous expert on Tibet. The ribbon cutting is scheduled for July 7, at 6:00 p.m., and the exhibition, curated by Arte Nomade, can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday, from 4 pm to 7 pm. The exhibition “Le genti sono cortesi e affabili” (“People are courteous and affable”) pays homage to Beligatti, Franciscan Friar in Tibet and Nepal in the 19th century, at the Borgetti Library. The exhibition’s inaugural lecture, created by the Friends of the Sferisterio together with Macerata Musei, takes place on Wednesday 19 July at 6:00 pm and represents the  opening to the public of the review of the journey, the studies, and the mission of the Capuchin monk from Macerata. Another event not to be missed is the meeting entitled “ L’opera fra Oriente e Occidente” (Opera between East and West”) on July 20th, at 6.00 p.m., at the Antichi Forni: Maria Cristina Pisciotta, Sun Tao, and Alberto Mattioli, talk about the themes that are common to Chinese and Italian opera, to look for similarities and differences.

The commitment of Macerata to maintain its centuries old ties with the Asian continent has been rewarded by the inclusion of the Sferisterio in the Quality Service Certification programme as a tourist attraction of excellence for Chinese travellers. The relationship between Macerata and the East continues to grow stronger and stronger.

Confucio Institute, University of Macerata

Magazzini UTO (Via Antonio Gramsci, Macerata)

Foto di Luna Simoncini

Mozzi Borgetti Library

Photo by Luna Simoncini

Antichi Forni

Dragons, lanterns, and costumes at the “Night of the Opera”

with the Confucio Institute!

The streets of the city become a bridge between the Chinese and Italian culture

The Sferisterio is included in the Quality Service Certification programme

as a tourist attraction of excellence for Chinese travellers