Taranta power rocks S. Pietro Vernotico

San Pietro Vernotico is a small town located between Lecce and Brindisi.


















I went there yesterday because the local public library "Giuseppe Melli" had arranged an event dedicated to the folk music (Incontro con la musica popolare)

I was astonished by seeing the parterre of the theater almost full.

Around 300 people were admiring the dancers of pizzica, led by Ramona Visconti.

The local mayor, Pasquale Rizzo, is invited on stage. He says: "I encourage all the citizens to invest on culture. The community has to believe in this project in order to let it comes true.".

Great vision, Sir Rizzo.

Then, it is the round of the folk band Santu Pietru cu tutte le chiai, active since the '70ies.

Folk music is an immense resource for the South of Italy.

Unfortunately, this immaterial treasury begun to languish since the '50ies, the years in which Italy went crazy with consumerism and industrialization.

Pier Paolo Pasolini had desperately warned the Italians of the cultural genocide which was just occurring.

The thousand-year old peasant civilization replaced by the consumerism.

It was not a great deal.







Currently, folk music is alive more than ever. It is getting popular and popular among the youngest generation.

Pizzica and tarantella are for Italy what flamenco is for Spain.

Now, It is the round of Eugenio Bennato.








Once on stage, Eugenio talks about his passion for folk music.

He recalls his Apulian maestros such as Cantori di Carpino and Matteo Salvatore.

Additionally, Eugenio Bennato pays homage to Domenico Modugno: "Modugno had reinvented the folk music".









After having said that, he starts singing a Modugno's song, Malarazza, a fantastic Sicilian song.






All the dancers surround Eugenio, like embracing him.
















I have the feeling that Eugenio is very much moved by the warm welcome of San Pietro Vernotico.









Eugenio ends up his concert not before having sung Questione meridionale, Brigante se more and finally Mediterraneo.

long life to you Eugenio Bennato!

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Polignano a Mare, where environment and culture meet up

Polignano a Mare is one of the nicest town in Apulia.

The sea is deeply blue.

It is built along the seacoast, on the rocks.

Underneath, there are amazing caves which can be visited.

Actually, some restaurants are right into the caves

From my point of view, the most pictoresque beach is cala dei Turchi, located in the inner city.

Polignano is the birtplace of Mr. Volare, Domenico Modugno.

In my opinion, the context in which you grow up affects very much your personality.

Every time I walk around Polignano, I feel a positve energy, good vibrations. 

People smile, talk, joke...I like the atmosphere here very much.

Additionally, Polignano has  a sparkling cultural life.

Polignano hosts the unique Museum of contemporary art in Apulia, the Museum “Pino Pascali”.

The museum is dedicated to Pino Pascali, an artist from Polignano. 




He moved to Rome to study art. So, he grew there artistically. 

He died in 1968, when he was only 33 years old.

Pino Pascali was an eclectic artist. 







He shared a lot with the Arte Povera (litterally "poor art") movement.

In the early 60ies, he used to walk around Rome at night time, in order to collect anything which could be used to create his works.

Nowdays, His works are exhibited all around the world: the Tate Gallery in London, the Musuem of Osaka and so on.

The Museum “Pino Pascali” has recently bought one of his works, treno (1964).

The entire community, supported both by the local Municipality and Apulian region, has raised € 80.000 to purchase it from an Italian private collector.

However, the market price of treno was esteemed to be much more expensive, around € 110/120.000.

So, if you come to Polignano on holidays, a visit to the Museum “Pino Pascali” is a must.

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Have fun