Italian Body Language

Article first published as Italian Body Language on Technorati.


Every European nation has been attributed its own clichés: The French complain a lot but are romantic, the Germans have no sense of humor but work very hard, The Spanish are loud but welcoming, etc. You will agree I think that an entire nation cannot be cataloged into such narrow boxes. I happen to live in Germany and most people I have encountered do have a sense of humor. They are also in the vast majority very helpful, warm and welcoming towards my family and myself.

One cliché I do find to be true, though, is how important body language is to Italians. Perhaps I especially notice it as it has been pointed out to me that I am prone to "speaking with my hands". No doubt this is the Italian blood in me coming to the surface!

During a visit to the lesser known perhaps but absolutely gorgeous region of the Marches, we encountered many local people and enjoyed watching them interacting. Our house was close to the lovely walled city of Urbino, to which we cycled on a magnificent sunny day. Comfortably sitting down at a café terrace and having ordered much needed refreshments, I began to discreetly look at our neighbors. Now my Italian is rather basic, and I did not try, nor did I want, to pry. I just observed people instead.

Two women in their mid-thirties, I would say, we engrossed in a passionate and obviously very amusing discussion. They both kept throwing their heads back, laughing heartily, hands alternatively flying to their mouths and to their hearts. Their eyes were twinkling, and they were having trouble keeping the loudness of their voices under control. Behind them I spotted a woman with two young boys. The look of love in her eyes, her head half tilted, the way she kept patting their heads and pinching their round cheeks, all this told me that she was their mother. She had a game of blowing them kisses, pulling a funny face at the same time, which kept the little ones highly entertained. On the other side, a middle age couple look as though they were going through a stormy patch in their relationship. Hands were pointing accusingly at each other, and it seemed that reproaches were being uttered through clenched teeth. After a while, they both sat back and fell silent, looking away from each other, arms firmly crossed on their chests. Finally, I rested my gaze on a group of teenagers, the girls pretending not to be flirting while the boys clearly were competing for their attention. They kept getting up, throwing their arms on the side, and looking deeply into the eyes of the girl they were desperate to impress. In return the said girl usually gave a small smile and intense look, only to quickly resume her demure position.
As they walked away, I noticed hands being held and heads resting on shoulders. I could not help but smile: the courting had clearly been successful!

Arena Sferisterio – A Summery Suggestion

Article first published as Arena Sferisterio - A Summery Suggestion on Technorati

With spring in full bloom, longer days, warmth and sun, a subject comes up regularly in conversations. You can hear people sitting at a café terrace on a balmy evening asking their friends:

So, what are your plans for the summer? Yes, it is that time of the year again, the time to plan your holidays.

How about you? Have you already made your choice? Are you an active person who is going to spend two weeks climbing mountains, eager for the exhilaration to kick in once you get to the top? Or do you feel that you deserve a real break and will be enjoying the sun on a white sandy beach somewhere, breaking the day with the occasional swim in a crystal clear sea? Or then again you are into music and culture. If that is the case, then the Macerata Opera Festival could be the perfect event for you. Macerata is a lovely historical town in the Marche region. Situated between the Chienti and Potenza rivers, it has been built on two levels. The old part sits at the top of a hill and the recent buildings occupy the plain, with a lift connecting the two. There is plenty to see, but you should definitely not miss the Loggia dei Mercanti and the Church of Santa Maria delle Vergini, where you can admire a Tintoretto painting.

Every year, Macerata hosts an opera festival, which takes place in the Arena Sferisterio. This monumental neoclassical arena, which can sit up to 4'500 spectators, was originally in the 1820s a stadium where handball games would be played. When football took over as the nation's favourite sport, Arena Sferisterio was then turned into an opera venue. Its place as one of the favourite locations for this type of musical performances remains unchallenged still today.

The programme is being held this summer between July 20th and August 12th. It features four representations each of Verdi's La Traviata, Puccini's La Bohème and Bizet's Carmen. No need to present these pieces, as they have their place in the pantheon of the beloved and well-known operas. Even if you have enjoyed one or all of them before, perhaps it was not in an open-air setting? Then you should consider attending the festival, as you will without a doubt find it a magical experience.

The Marche has been given the name of new Tuscany, and it is not difficult to understand why. Its landscape is utterly beautiful, and there is no shortage of gorgeous properties to rent or hotels full of charm. Apart from Macerata, towns such as Treia and its collection of Renaissance and classical paintings displayed in the Town Hall, or Urbino and its magnificent Palazzo Ducale, are well worth a visit too.

Tempted yet?