La Piazza si Riaccende

“The Square Rekindling” … at Piazza Maggiore … the main square, around the corner from where we live.

An exciting three-night event … a light & music show … the first night of which was part of a crowdfunding campaign that included a concert … and seating. We went tonight instead … to see the first of three nightly standing-room only shows scheduled at 9:00p, 10:00p, and 11:00p. The event lasts about 10-15 minutes, so standing was not an issue.

The premise of the show is to bring to life the unfinished façade of the Basilica di San Petronio … set to the music of Rossini’s William Tell Overture. The building is used as a canvas for a videomapping installation conceived by Luca Agnani. The projected images depict the different architectural designs that were proposed over the centuries to complete the façade … including a more contemporary “green” tribute.

Arriving about ½-hour before the show, we found the piazza crowded. It wasn’t long before it was literally packed. We wanted a slightly elevated place to stand so that I could see over all the taller-than-me people. We lucked out with a spot on the steps of the building across the square from the basillica. We were slightly off-center, and the canopies protecting the equipment were a bit of an irritant, but it was otherwise the perfect spot for viewing the show.

As magnificent — and sometimes over-the-top — as the proposed façades were, I’m glad the basilica has remained as is. Its ‘unfinished’ look gives it a unique identity that seems to fit perfectly into the square where it is located.

A great show … and worth postponing our upcoming trip by a few days to make sure we didn’t miss it!

(The video is too long to post here, so I am including a photo slide-show. If you wish to see the video itself, click this link to go to my SmugMug Gallery for Bologna: https://eenusa.smugmug.com/Europe/BCIT/ExpIT/Bl….)Read more