What to see in Venice

A part of the Venice Biennale, the 55th International Festival of Contemporary Music is organised over two settings, designed especially for the expression of music and art; the Artesenal Piccolo Theater and the Theater alle Tese. The dates for the musical extravaganza takes places between the 24th of September and the 10th of October, and it is directed towards anybody who is a fan of new musical experiences.

The president of the 55th International Festival of Contemporary Music in Venice, Paolo Baratta has highlighted that this is a special part of the Bienale, because it unites the experiences of the great composers along with those of the young up and coming faces of music, representing the idea of transformation – hence the name of this, the 55th edition; Mutante.

This year the organization of the 55th International Festival of Contemporary Music at the Venice Bienale has promised to all those attending a real mutation of musical genres, as a representation of the contemporary changes in western culture, and a change in its traditions – the product of a number of changes in methods of creative processes, reflecting a more open approach, and an ever faster way of communicating it.

With this in mind, this year the festival jury will be awarding orchestra composer Peter Eötvös with the Gold Lion, in tribute to his illustrious career and extensive contribution to contemporar musicy. Peter Eötvös was born in Odorheiu Secuiesc, Transylvania in Hungary (now a part of Romania) in 1944. Composer and orchestra director, he has done some important and highly influencial musical work, which makes reference to the folkloric music of his home country, following in the footsteps paved out by Béla Bartók, Zoltán Kodály and other great Hungarian musicians of the 20th century.

Eötvös was for many years, a composition assistant, and the director of the works of composition made by German contemporary composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, who is considered one of the 20th century’s greatest musicians, and has contributed enormously to the development of electro-acoustic music, and serialised music. Stockhausen, who died in 2007, was a devoted and controversial political activist, and branded the September 11th attacks a “work of art.”

Eötvös has directed grand works of opera at the Milan Scala for over thirty years now, and has come to be considered one of few composers to have made a genuine impact on the practical and theoretical sides of music in the last 20 years. He has taken up the post of Director at the London Royal Opera House, and at the Brussels Monnaine Theater, amongst other achievements in the development of music throughout Europe.

For more information http://www.labiennale.org/it/musica/festival/festival.html

Nancy Guzman

This festival represents all the beauty and dynamics of human creation, bringing new sounds to feed the soul. This and much more will be on offer if you head down to the festivities in the Tese and Piccolo Theaters whilst spending a couple of days renting apartments in Venice

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Translated by: Poppy
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Venice’s Biennale is an international contemporary art exhibition celebrated every two years. The first edition was celebrated on April 30th 1895. Among the artistic subjects that it encompasses we find visual arts, contemporary music, theatre, dance, film and architecture.

But let’s concentrate on the International Venice Film Festival (Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica di Venezia). It’s a film festival that takes place every year in the Palazzo del Cinema, which is where they present the films that are entered in the contest. Although the festival is every year, it’s framed inside what’s known as the Biennale.

It will take place from the 31st of August until the 10th of September and there you’ll be able to enjoy great films by acclaimed directors and well-known actors.

Among the awards that are given there is the Golden Lion, which the jury gives to the best film. The Silver one goes to the best director and for the Great Prize of the Jury. To the best actor and actress they give the Coppa Volpi (Volpi Cup).

They also award various Golden Lions to different people of the film world as recognition for their contribution.

This festival is considered a ‘Category A’, being credited by the International Federation of the Cinematographic Producers Association (FIAPF) together with other well-known ones such as the ones from San Sebastián, Berlin and Cannes among others.

The Festival has already revealed the presidents of its juries. For the Competition section, the most important is the American director, writer and producer Darren Aronofsky. For the Orizzonti section it will be the Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul. For the Luigi de Laurentiis Prize to the best prime opera it’s Carlo Mazzacurati and for the Controcampo Italiano section it will be the Italian film director Roberta Torre.

Regarding the winners of the honorific Gold Lion it’s already known that they’re going to be awarded to Marco Bellocchio because, to quote the jury, he is “one of the biggest and most influential filmmakers of the last few decades in Italy”. Some of the most famous films of this director are In the name of the Father (1971), Marcia Trionfale (1975), The Conviction (1990), The Nanny (1998), My Mother’s Smile (2002), Good Morning, Night (2003) or Vincere (2009). After the prize award, a presentiation of the new unedited version of In the Name of the Father will take place with the original film material.

The American actor Al Pacino will receive the Jäger-LeCoultre award. It will be in a gala on the 4th of September which will precede the world premiere of his third film as a director, the documentary Wilde Salome, based on the life of Oscar Wilde.

The opening of the festival will take place on the 31st of August with the presentation of the world premiere of the latest George Clooney film, The Ides of March, written and directed by himself, which will run for the Golden Lion. It’s Clooney’s fourth film as a director after Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), Good Night and Good Luck (2005) and Leatherheads (2008).

Ara

Visit the city of the canals and don’t miss out on going to the 68th edition of the International Venice Film Festival which is celebrated in the Palazzo del Cinema from the 31st of August until the 10th of September. And after enjoying the films, relax by renting apartments in Venice

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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Celebrate the music we celebrate! What would you do without music? Nothing better than an escape from reality to get lost in different sounds, meet new people and  try to understand the world in all its amplitude. It is said the state of existence is a sound that cannot be measured. The origin of time is the Big Bang, remember? Beyond the burning material that conformed this massive explosion, you can imagine the first musical notes, the first sounds of feedback, the world vibrates with the big bang and from these first particles, music has continued to change over  millions of years and continues to advance, the echo of that great explosion is still moving in all directions.

La Fete de la Musique is now a solid tradition in Europe. The idea started back in 1976, thanks to the American musician Joel Cohen, who was then working for Radio Musique France. His dream was simple: a musical celebration that lasted all night during the summer solstice. However, it was not until 1981 that the music and dance director Maurice Fleuret passed  the idea to the then Minister of Culture Jack Lang, so the Fete de la Musique first was celebrated in 1982. To simplify things, La Fete de la Musique primarily seeks to encourage both professional and amateur musicians to perform shows in the streets, without receiving fees and playing for free. Today, more than thirty countries around the world collaborate in this celebration.

Such an opportunity to hear real live music and new proposals should not be missed. Both social networks and the diversity of production is done via internet and allow the true music lovers to organize meetings and make unexpected discoveries. Nothing like the experience of a live concert, when contact with live music is unexpected, full of surprises and an enriching experience

In Venice, the music day is celebrated with the Suona Venezia association on July 11th. Bands from all over the world, with styles ranging from jazz, blues, classical, funk and ethnic take over the streets to delight passer buyers. And what better choice is there than spending a day in Venice and taking a long walk during  a summer night enjoying dancing sounds that appear in every corner , this unique event becomes an ritualistic experience in which the center is music and everyone is welcome to participate. The interesting thing about this day of music is the decrepit magical atmosphere of Venice, small streets and paths surrounded by music everywhere you go , making the musical  experience completely different,

For more information and exact timing, you can visit this site:

http://www.veneziasuona.it/

SISTER RAY

This is a festival not to be missed, so get apartments in Venice and enjoy a day of magic and beauty in one of the most romantic cities in the world.

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Translated by: Marc
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From the 25^th February until the 8^th March, Europe’s most famous carnival takes place in Venice. Known for its use of masks to tell the story of the canalled city, the Venice Carnival has become a symbol of transgression and decadence. The 2011 edition of the festival will be placing special emphasis on culture, under the artistic direction of Davide Rampello, approaching on 19^th century themes and ideas from a Venetian perspective – such as the unification of Italy, and Woman’s Day – during which there will be screenings of City of Women by Federico Fellini and Senso by Luchino Visconti.

The carnival was declared an official festival by the senate of the republic of Venice in the 13^th century. The start and finish of the carnival is determined by Lent and Holy Week – which is why each year the date changes; since it must finish on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday – always starting two weeks before that.

Though the festival was initially organised by the young nobility, it soon came to be defined by transgression. Their identities hidden behind masks, the nobles and plebs where able to abandon themselves to a game of passionate freedom, intoxicated by alcohol and dancing without fear of the rigid class divisions – transforming the festival into a place for subverting order, being free, and breaking with the prevailing morality. The men were allowed to dress as women, and indulge in prohibited pleasures, and the women could break away from the atavistic regulations of virginity, and for this one time, enjoy sexual pleasure without guilt.

The carnival was and still is, a time for the city’s inhabitant to take over – it’s not a time for the rule of politics. In 1797 the fall of the Republic of Venice, and the subsequent occupation of the city by the Austrians, who incorporated the city into the Austrian Empire, the carnival was suspended for many years. The same thing happened when Mussolini rose to power in the 1930s.

This year, the carnival wants to centre the discussion around the cultural influence of Venetians through history. Also, to pay homage to the directors Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti with the screening of two classic films.

Fellini’s City of Women, which will mark Women’s Day, recounts the dreams of the ageing protagonist – played by Marcelo Mastroianni – who is married, and struggling to accept his decline as a seducer. Through the story, Fellini examines the complexity of a woman in a process of transformation, in search of power and equal rights.

Senso, by Luchino Visconti is a masterful portrait of human passion in Venice at the time of the Austrian occupation. The film, about the latent homosexuality hidden by a gigolo, tells of the exploitation of an older woman by young, opportunistic lovers without scruples.

Nancy Guzman

Venice is not just all about canals and paths – but culture and history too. If you want to relive it’s story, and discover the true essence of Venice Carnival, find yourself a mask to hide behind, and see who can find for some uninhibited fun in apartments in Venice

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Translated by: Poppy
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Apart from Film Festival in Cannes, the International Film Festival in Venice (Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica) is one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals. Not only that but it is the world’s oldest film festival. It was founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 and it takes place every year in late August/early September on the Island of Lido. The 67th edition of the festival will take place from the 1st until the 11th of September this year.

Also important to mention is that its part of the Venice Biennale, a major exhibition and festival for contemporary art The main awards given out are the Golden Lion (Leone d’Oro) for the best film and the Volpi Cup (Coppa Volpi) for the best actor and actress. This year American director and screenwriter Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inglorious Basterds) will chair the International Jury for the main competition.

When we think about the film industry, many think “Hollywood” and images of blockbuster hits, the Walk of Fame, the Oscars, mansions of famous movie stars in the Hollywood Hills come to mind. Los Angeles may be where many of today’s major movie companies have their studios and film making has its origin in Venice Beach, California. But the industry is so much more than this! Some of the amazing films which have been awarded prizes at the Venice International Filmfestival include The Wrestler by Darren Aronofsky, Monsoon Wedding by Mira Nair or Hana-bi by Takeshi Kitano: unlike the Oscars, this festival looks to award quality films from around the world, not just blockbusters.

The historic Palazzo del Cinema is the main facility and screening theatre of the Venice Film Festival. To catch a glimpse of the action hop onto a vaporetto to Lido and for a comfortable stay rent Apartments in Venice.

http://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema