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ItVI Ochi Chornye International Festival of Russian-Italian culture
11-16 September 2018 Montecatini Terme, Italy
V Ochi Chornye International Festival of Russian-Italian culture 16-21 September 2017 г. Montecatini Terme, Italy
The annual Ochi Chornye International Charity Festival of Russian-Italian culture was founded in 2013 on the initiative of the Russian and Italian public. The Festival is held in a unique corner of Tuscany, one of the most popular thermal resorts of Europe — the city of Montecatini Terme, located near Florence. For centuries its beautiful architecture, elegant fountains, majestic parks and historic Baths have attracted visitors from around the world. Among them there have been prominent actors, musicians, writers, artists, designers, and politicians.
The great Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini, Gioachino Rossini and Giuseppe Garibaldi, Prince Rainier of Monaco and Princess Grace, Pierre Cardin and Gianni Versace, Audrey Hepburn and Adriano Celentano, Robert De Niro and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Woody Allen and a lot of other stars of movies, sports, art and politics often came here to work, rest and take the local thermal waters. The streets and roads of the city between the Baths are cobbled with dozens of memorial plaques with the names of world stars.
It is not for nothing that this city was chosen by Nikita Mikhalkov as the location for his film «Ochi chornye», in which the main role was played by the magnificent Marcello Mastroianni. Nikita Mikhalkov was an honorary guest of the Festival in 2014.
In fact, the Festival is a general international project, which has taken the fancy of Russian, Italian and European public and has become an integral part of cultural life.
In recent years outstanding figures of culture and art, famous politicians and businessmen, including Prince von Preussen and representatives of the Prince Albert II of Monaco, Russian Ambassador to Italy Sergei Razov and representatives of the Embassies of Russia in Italy and the Vatican, the mayors of Italian cities, count Peter Sheremetev, the patriarch of the Lermontov family Mikhail Lermontov, famous Italian singer Andrea Bocelli, journalist Svyatoslav Belza, famous musicians Victor Tretiakov, Boris Frumkin, Borislav Strulev, Aydar Gaynulin and many others have become guests and participants of the Festival.
The Founders of the Festival
The Russian Performing Art Fundation
The Fund was established on the initiative of renowned musicians, cultural figures and representatives of business circles of Russia with the aim of preserving and developing the traditions of performing art as a unique part of the national heritage and world culture.
The municipality of Montecatini Terme
Since the founding of the Festival the city administration and the mayor Giuseppe Bellandi have been assisting in organizational issues and providing informational support of cultural activities of the Festival.
The Italian Directorate of the Festival «Estate Regina»
The Music festival with its center in the town of Montecatini Terme, was founded in 1998 to organize concerts of celebrated artists as well as young promising talents in the halls of the Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi, the Term Regina and Tetuccio.
The jubilee V Ochi Chornye Festival of the Russian-Italian culture will be dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the Moscow Conservatory. The honorary guest of the festival will be Alexander Sokolov, rector of the Moscow P. I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory.
As the theme of the Festival a significant event from the history of Russian and Italian culture is chosen. In 2013-2016 the festival program was dedicated to the memorable dates of the 200th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi, the 200th anniversary of Mikhail Lermontov, the 175th anniversary of Peter Tchaikovsky and the 125th anniversary of Sergey Prokofiev.
As a guest of the V Ochi Chornye International Festival of Russian-Italian culture, you will receive exclusive opportunities:
- attending the Gala dinner with a concert of world famous musicians, soloists of the Bolshoi theater and the Metropolitan Opera in "Grand Hotel & La Pace" - the detailed program;
- enjoying the art of worldwide famous artists of opera and ballet of the Bolshoi theatre, laureates of the International P. I. Tchaikovsky competition and of the popular Voice TV show , as well as young talents - the detailed program;
- restoring health with the help of the local thermal waters, known since the Etruscan times, and Spa treatments with healing mud based on the volcanic clay - there is a special 50 % discount for the thermal Spa water for the participants and guests of the Festival, read more;
- taking part in special tour programs to Pisa, Lucca, Florence – only for the guests of the Festival, read more;
- visiting the famous Tuscan farms, tasting the best wines and cheeses;
- enjoying spectacular views while riding the old funicular built in 1892 up to the small town of Montecatini Alto, more than 1000 years old, where you can walk around its ancient streets and shops which have preserved their original character.
Festivals of 2015 and 2016 were marked by true historical events. In the center of Montecatini Terme were unveiled monuments of great Italian composers: Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini, whose lives were closely related to the city. Both the monuments were a gift from the talented Russian sculptor Aidyn Zeinalov.
The spectacular sculptural compositions have become a place of pilgrimage for the inhabitants of Montecatini and tourists. To sit on the bench "together with Puccini" and take a picture "with Verdi" are now two of the local attractions of this wonderful Tuscan town.
The Festival has its own Walk of Stars with commemorative medallions for Nikita Mikhalkov, Svyatoslav Belza (the presenter of Festival 2014) and Valery Vorona (the artistic director and founder of the Festival).
Montecatini Terme is located at the intersection of most fascinating tourist and excursion routes. A half an hour drive from the city there are world famous places of cultural pilgrimage — Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Pistoia, the splendid beaches of Forte dei Marmi, and many others.
If you want to relax, join in great culture, improve your health, travel and get new impressions, simply become a guest of the V Ochi Chornye International Festival of Russian-Italian culture!
Become a guest of the V Ochi Chornye International Festival of Russian-Italian culture!
Spend an unforgettable time at the Spa resort of Montecatini Terme!