A Musical Trifecta…Night #2
As hard as Titta was to follow, somehow Friday night delivered. I rode with my friend Lenka from the Czeck Republic (in her large Ford SUV which she’d driven to Italy from home, a refreshing change from the compact Panda!) to meet a small group of friends, high above Greve at the Verrazzano Castle for the inaugural concert of Belcanto in Tuscany!
If I have somehow not made clear that Greve is the hometown of Giovanni Verrazzano, now is the time to catch you up! Verrazzano was the Italian explorer, in service to France, who sailed into New York Bay in 1524 and was the first European to chart the Atlantic coast of North America between Florida and New Brunswick. He is a big deal in Greve, where a hugh statue in his likeness dominates the piazza. And this year is the 500th anniversary of his big sail!
A native of Greve, Verrazzano was born in the castle that bears his family name. An ancient Etruscan and then later a Roman settlement, it was inhabited by the Verrazzano family since the 7th century. The castle sits high above acres of rolling hills blanketed by vineyards and olive groves. It is a spectacular setting.
The evening began with a complementary apertivo of prosecco and bruschetta overseen by uniformed servers. Guests at this complementary concert were invtited to explore the grounds, mingling with the artists and as we awaited the start of th econcert.rt, I took special note of a commemorative section on one of the castle’s towers. A massive anchor, presumably from Verrazzano’s ship, leans against a wall, above which are embedded three stones and a plaque. The dedication records the historic completion of the Verrazzano Bridge which spans the Narrows that share his name. The three stones are from the base of the bridge (from my family’s hometown of Brooklyn) exchanged with three stones from Greve embedded in the foundation of that bridge!
Commemoration of opening of Verrazzano Bridge at the Verrazzano Castle in Greve
The musical program featured a range of operatic arias, sung as solos, duets and with a chorus. Rossini was the predominant composser of the night and the humor and drama of his works were well portrayed by the artists, making for a very entertaining evening. The Belcanto company is exceptional for the range of young artists they include, many who do not fit the image of a traditional operatic star, including one wisp of a young girl who was blind. While they were a younger, more diverse company than expected, the talent of each singer was inspiring. It was an exceptional night of music, halfway to heaven!
The company of Belcanto in the gardens at Verrazzano Ccastle