Mosaics by moonlight
Sara Mantovani July 23, 2012
Looking for something unusual? Until mid September in Ravenna Mosaics by Night 2012 will give you the chance to see masterpieces and to avoid the heat of the day.
As in previous years, two UNESCO sites – the Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia – and other sites of historical or architectural interest, such as the Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra and the TAMO-Complex of San Nicolò, will be open from 9 pm until 11 pm.
To mark the occasion, guided tours will be organised on Tuesday and Friday evenings, and the Santa Maria Maggiore churchyard in Via Galla Placidia will host performances of music and poetry, like “O Musiva Musa…tessere di poesia e musica” (O Musiva Musa…interwoven poetry and music), run by Franco Costantini, and “Sotto le stelle di Galla Placidia” (Under the Stars of Galla Placidia), organised by the Ravenna City Orchestra, with artistic direction by Matteo Salerno.
Furthermore, the Basilica of San Vitale will host the prestigious International Festival of Organ Music, which this year marks its 51st anniversary, and the programmes La Luna a San Nicolò/La Luna dei Piccoli a San Nicolò (The Moon at San Nicolò/The Moon of the Young at San Nicolò) at the TAMO-Complex of San Nicolò will offer concerts, discussions, tasting sessions, games and workshops for children.
To enrich the city’s night life you can enjoy Quattro passi nell’arte (Four Steps into Art) – four free guided tours around the cultural sites run by the Superintendency of Ravenna (the Mausoleum of Theodoric, the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe, the National Museum of Ravenna and the Arian Baptistery).
The Whole Adventure of Mosaic, will organise Dal Museo alla Bottega (From the Museum to the Workshop) – special routes in search of contemporary mosaics, ending up in craft workshops.
The shops will be open in the historic centre, and there will be a small arts and crafts market.
The program:
Every Tuesday and Friday (except Tuesday, July 10 and Friday August 31), the Domus Tappeti di Pietra, the Basilica of San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and TAMO. The Whole Adventure of Mosaic at the Complex of San Nicolò will be open from 9 pm until 11 pm.
Free guided tours: meeting at 8.45 pm at the Tourist Information Office at 8/12 Via Salara.
Participants must pay an entrance fee of 10 Euros
Booking is mandatory. For further information or bookings, tel. (+39)0544.35755
• Quattro passi nell’arte (Four Steps into Art)
Ravenna – various UNESCO sites and the National Museum of Ravenna
Date: from 20th July to 10th August 2012
Event timetable: 6.00 pm
For four Fridays there will be free guided tours around the cultural sites run by Ravenna’s Superintendency for Architectural Treasures and Landscapes, given by technical staff and scientists.
20 July – Mausoleum of Theodoric Via delle Industrie, 14
27 July – Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe – Via Romea Sud, 224 (Classe)
03 August – National Museum of Ravenna – Via Fiandrini
10 August – Arian Baptistery – Piazzetta degli Ariani
(entrance fee)
Mausoleum of Theodoric (4.00 Euros), Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe (5.00 Euros), National Museum of Ravenna (5.00 Euros), Arian Baptistery (Admission free)
For further information or bookings: (+39)0544.35755 – 35404
• Dal Museo alla Bottega (From the Museum to the Workshop)
Ravenna – MAR – TAMO – Various craft workshops in the historic centre
Date: 13 July – 17 August 2012
Meeting point: 8.30pm
There will be tours every Friday in search of contemporary mosaics.
A visit to the City Art Museum’s Collection of Contemporary Mosaic at TAMO, the Whole Adventure of Mosaic at the Complex of San Nicolò and to several craft Workshops in the historic centre. In collaboration with CNA Ravenna and the Ad Arte Cultural Association.
Free admission
13, 27 July and 10 August – City Art Museum (MAR) Via di Roma, 13
20 July, 3 and 17 August – TAMO Complex of San Nicolò Via Rondinelli, 2
Booking is mandatory. For further information or bookings: (+39)0544.35755 – 35404
• 51st International Festival of Organ Music
Ravenna – Basilica of San Vitale
Date: 16 July – 27 August 2012
Event timetable: 9.00pm
A top quality event which every year welcomes the best Italian and European organists to the city. The festival takes place every Monday at 9.00 pm in the Basilica of San Vitale where, in addition to the music produced by the church’s ancient Mascioni organ, you can admire the World Heritage Byzantine mosaics. Organised by the Adone Zecchi Polyphonic Association of Ravenna. Artistic Director – Elena Sartori
Free admission
www.festivalorganosanvitale.org
• Sotto le Stelle di Galla Placidia (Under the Stars of Galla Placidia)
Ravenna – Via Galla Placidia
Date: 3 August – 24 August 2012
Event timetable: 9.00pm
Year after year, this musical season presents a varied and entertaining programme of events featuring top quality international performers. You will find jazz, swing and other musical genres from 9 pm onwards, in the evocative night-time atmosphere of Via Galla Placidia, next to the Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia.
Organised by the Ravenna City Orchestra, Artistic Director – Matteo Salerno.
Free admission
• O Musiva Musa…tessere di poesia e musica (O Musiva Musa….interwoven poetry and music)
Ravenna – Via Galla Placidia
Date: 2 August – 19 August 2012
Event timetable: 9.00pm
This year the programme is dedicated specially to the 1512 Battle of Ravenna, which took place five hundred years ago. This prestigious cultural programme is catching the public’s attention more and more each year, offering well-known poetry readers with live musical accompaniment from 9 pm in the splendid setting of Via Galla Placidia. Artistic Director – Franco Costantini
Free admission
And also:
• La Luna a San Nicolò (The Moon at San Nicolò)
Ravenna – TAMO Complex of San Nicolò, 2 Via Rondinelli
Date: 17 July – 10 August 2012
• La Luna dei Piccoli a San Nicolò (The Moon of the Young at San Nicolò)
Ravenna – TAMO Complex of San Nicolò, 2 Via Rondinelli
Date: 27 June – 5 September 2012
Meetings, concerts, discussions, dance displays, games, tasting sessions, educational workshops and book presentations for children at TAMO, the establishment dedicated to mosaics within the Complex of San Nicolò. Whenever the complex is open, you can fully immerse yourself in the adventure of mosaic art, from ancient times to the present day.
Entrance fees:
For children: an initial entrance fee of 5 Euros gives you an Amici di RavennAntica Junior card, which, in addition to a subscription to the Association, gives you free admission to all The Moon of the Young events (every Wednesday from 27th June to 05th September).
For adults: an initial entrance fee of 7 Euros gives you a card which grants you free access to all summer activities and a combined ticket, valid for the full duration of The Moon at San Nicolò (17th July – 10th August), providing access to the Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra and the Rasponi Crypt as well as TAMO.
Members of the “Amici di RavennAntica” Association receive free access on display of a valid card.
Info: (+39)0544.213371 , www.ravennantica.org
• Fatto ad Arte Market and evening shopping
Ravenna – The streets of the historic centre
Date: 22 June – 7 September 2012
Every Friday evening, around the streets of the city centre
Free admission
