Our Blogger: Arianna fhmbi9u2pz

Probably only few people know that in Rome  there’s a theatre company who plays their pieces only in English.

Every summer the Roman forum becomes the space where the actors perform different pieces inspired in historic themes. The miracle players is the name of this company. This summer they will be performing a play based on the life of Michelangelo. What’s interesting about this piece it’s the theatre policy; in fact, the miracle players perform every representation in comic key!

The Life of Michelangelo will be performed every Friday evening at 19:30 from June 19th till August 7th 2009. But here’s the best: the entrance it’s for free and you don’t need reservation.

How to get there from Hotel des Artistes? Take the B subway line and get off at Colosseo station; then walk down via dei Fori Imperiali..

For more information check www.miracleplayers.org

The Miracle players perform as well for private meetings, conferences etc etc. If you are wondering why the representation it’s for free, that’s because the miracle players are a non-profit organization whose main objective is to promote the culture of antiquity in historical locations. What are you still waiting for?

Stay with us and enjoy an amusing summer evening in one of the most impressive locations: the Colosseum.

“REWIND ROME” is a brand new 3D simulated show of the ancient Rome opened to the public on November, the 20th in a playhouse just a few steps from the Colosseum (via Capo d’Africa 5). Visitors will experience the thrill to visit the streets, the tribunals, the temples and the stunning arena of the Colosseum as they lived in the year 310 A.D.

With earphones available in 8 languages, the whole work is the result of an usual but creative cooperation between classicists, engineers and archaeologists. The setting is based on archaeological evidence whereas characters as the emperor Maxentius, ruling at that time, the lions and the gladiators have been jazzed up.

GLADIATORS FIGHT TO DEATH

Thanks to the latest 3D techniques used, we have the unique chance to see a gladiator fight like from the front row of the Colosseum.

The realism of the gladiators’ movements is terrific. Motion capture technology was applied, that is using body-sensors on real people, and the authenticity of the gestures was guaranteed thanks to the contribution of a local historical society running a gladiatorial school in Rome. The scene climax is reached when the audience screams for a thumbs-up or thumbs-down.

Among the reconstructed monuments we find also the Forum, a gathering place of social and political significance, and the temple of Vesta, where visitors are revealed a sacred rite.

Interaction is another key-word: an exceptional artificial character named Sapientinus introduce the visitors to this incredible world, screening detailed shootings of the ancient Rome, and dedicated devices will let them walk the city giving tourists and residents a sense of the city in the past.

Come and book your stay at Hotel des Artistes in Rome, just 20 minutes away from this fabulous adventure!

The exhibition Etruscans describes the story of the Etruscan civilization in Lazio through the extraordinary development of its main urban centers: Veio, Cerveteri, Vulci and Tarquinia, four cities that began life with many of their more ancient features stemming from common roots.

The individual character of these four cities in southern Etruria is illustrated by a selection of some of the most important works of art from each locality, many of which are on public display for the very first time.

The second part of the exhibition is dedicated to the relationship between these ancient cities and Rome itself, which highlights the huge influence that the Etruscan civilization had on the Roman world. Another important museum about Etruscans to advise is  Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia.

Veio is famous for the production of “terracotta” intended to decorate the roofs of buildings and achieve votive sculptures.

Cerveteri is characterized mainly by the extraordinary funerary architecture connected to the famous necropolis.

Vulci is the monumental sculpture in stone.

Caere (Cerveteri) and Vulci, from the end of the eighth century BC, were the main destinations for large trade flows which from the greek world markets reached different centers in Etruria.

Tarquinia, with its several hundred tombs painted between the archaic and Hellenistic age, is the most important art gallery of the ancient world before Pompeii.

Do not miss this great archeologic appointment in Rome, do visit this exhibition and this wonderful city. I advise you to stay in a nice three star hotel near Termini Station-Lucci Hotel, which offers you genuine hospitality and warmth.

The exhibition is open on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 8pm;

on Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 10.30 pm;

Closed on Mondays.

Festa della Repubblica 2007

As France celebrates on the 14th July 14 the overtaking of the Bastille, the United States on the 4th July 4 its Independence Day,  Italy’s National Day comes on the 2nd June.
On this day the Italians remember the institutional referendum, hold on the 2nd and the 3rd June, 1946 according to which they were called to choose the future form of government in ballot- Republic or Monarchy.
The Monarchy preferences received 10,719,284 votes, against 12,717,923 votes in favour of the Italian Republic!  This way the Italian Republic was born 62 years ago.
Very much suffered this victory received a support from the Centre-North of a good 63%, while  in the South Monarchy supporters got 67% of the votes.
The vote of Ravenna, "the most Republican city"  was of 91.2%  was in contrast with the 85, 4%  support for monarchy in the city of Messina.  
There were, of course, the consequences on a national scale  of the defeat of monarchy, such as the exile of kings of the House of Savoy, who came back to Italy only in 2003, after 57 years of exile.
Important achievement on this occasion was the first electoral true universal suffrage: women finally went to the polls.
In June 1948 the Street of Fori Imperiali in Rome held a first military parade in honour of the Republic.
In 1961, on the occasion of the centenary anniversary of Italian Unification the celebrations also took place in Turin and Florence, the first capital of United Italy.
Even today, the  Day of the Republic  has important symbolic ceremonies, such as the deposition of a crown of laurel to the Unknown Soldier at the Altar of the Fatherland in Rome (the Victorian Complex) and a military parade on the Fori Imperiali in the presence of the highest officials of state. 
The gardens of the Quirinal Palace, where resides the President of the Republic, are open to the public in the afternoon.

The day of June 2 recently has also become the National Sports Day.
The Day of the Republic is also an opportunity to learn about  the national symbols of Italy.
The emblem of the Republic, for example, consists of three elements: the star, the gear wheel, and olive branch on the left and an oak on the right.
The star has always been one of the emblems of Italy, already nell’iconography of the Renaissance. The symbol of the star indicates, among other things, the belonging to the Armed Forces of country.
The wheel toothed steel is a symbol of labour and translates the first article in the Constitutional Charter: "Italy is a Democratic Republic founded on labour".
Let us discuss the branches of the emblem, rarely the centre of the attention.
We see two different types of trees that grow in Italy.
The olive branch symbolizes the desire for peace of the nation, both internal and international, while the oak embodies the strength and dignity of the Italian people.
Of the Tricolore, Italian flag, we can remind that, as the national flag, it was born in Reggio Emilia on the 7th January  1797, under the Cispadana Republic.
The shape of three vertical bands was inspired by the French republican model of 1790, precisely when the  regiments of the Lombard Legion  fought side by side with the Napoleon’s troops had the white, red and green, strong regional roots: white and red, are in the municipal emblem of Milan (red cross on a white field), while Green was the color of the uniforms of Milan’s Civic guards.
Under the Kingdom of Italy  the white emblem was added to the royal crown.
The emblem, but at this time that of the Republic, stands up as a banner, designed for the President of the Republic.