18 February 2016 (released)
20 February 2016
Italians have an expression, 'Rome, a lifetime is not enough', and they may well be right. The sheer volume of history in such a small area is second to none. You will find yourself peeling through the layers of time, with familiar names returning from the past as those age old text books finally come to life.
If you’re over for a quick weekend break or indeed something a little more substantial then Rome offers you everything. The Collosseum, Piazza Venezia, the Forum, Circus Maximus, Baths of Caracalla, not to mention the Vatican and Sistine chapel, the list rolls on.
My last venture to Rome was in the height of summer and I found this mid February trip much more relaxing without the all-consuming heat and endless queues.
For contemporary art & culture lovers the newly opened
Maxxi, is a fresh and playful piece of contemporary architecture itself housing a small permanent collection as well as international exhibitions.
For local culinary delights head to Trastevere, where you’ll fall in love with the bohemian atmosphere, cobbled streets and rustic tratorria's. Da Enzo offers a delicious assortment of hearty local cuisine, if you're after a meat fix the
abbracchio allo scottadito should be high on your list.
If you're looking for an operatic musical treat within the heart of this ancient metropolis then head to St. Paul's Within The Walls Church, a stones throw from Piazza della Repubblica, and The Great Italian Opera concert.
Opera e Lirica presents arias of Verdi, Rossini, Puccini and Donizetti gracefully reinterpreted offering the listener a journey through Italian opera history.
Seated on pews with the ornate backdrop of St. Paul's Within the Walls, your host, and baritone (Maurizio Zanchetti), leads a soprano (Roberta Polverini), and tenor (Emil Alekperov), accompanied by an accomplished string quartet and pianist through the great masterpieces of the Italian opera tradition.
In the first half they sing extracts from Rossini’s amusing ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’ followed by the romance of Verdi‘s La Traviata. After the interval are well known arias from Madama Butterfly, Boheme e Tosca (G. Puccini), L’elisir d’amore (G. Donizetti), Norma (V. Bellini), Rigoletto e Aida (G. Verdi).
With a spring in your step and my personal favourite ‘La donna è mobile’ still ringing in your ears, you’re back into the Rome night to taste its culinary delights and sip on fine wines, cocktails or more ice cream.
Whether you throw a coin in the Trevi fountain and vow to return or not the allure of Rome will entice you back again and again, with a myriad of new discoveries to unearth each time.
The Great Italian Opera concert is every Thursday at 8.30 at St. Paul’s Within The Wall Church, Via Nazionale, Rome.
