2009WEALTH OF EXCITING EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS ARE TAKING PLACE IN
AND AROUND THE FOUR ORIENT-EXPRESS ITALIAN HOTELS THIS YEAR.
A
CULTURAL
CALENDAR
VENICE When the Doge of Venice first strode into his sugar-
pink palace, his city was enjoying a flowering of culture that was
the envy of the world. This love of all things artistic continues to
thrive and will shortly be furthered by the opening of the new
Punta della Dogana Contemporary Art Centre (above) on the tip
of the Dorsoduro, across the lagoon from Hotel Cipriani. One
of the most talked-about cultural projects for years, this new
gallery under the baton of Palazzo Grassi's Fran�ois Pinault is
set to be a red-hot ticket. For anyone with a passion for art and
culture, Venice 2009 is the place to be.
This new, cutting-edge face of Venice is not just apparent
in the arts, however. Visitors to the city can discover a wealth
of exciting, modern new restaurants, caf�s and shops skilfully
slipped in among favourite old haunts. Venice was known for
its pioneering spirit in the days of the Doge � it was once the
world centre of commerce, exploration and creativity. That
same spirit of discovery and dynamism continues to drive a
city that never stands still. Punta della Dogana Contemporary
Art Centre opens on June 7.
SOUNDS AMAZING
6
FLORENCE One of Europe's
oldest and most prestigious
music festivals, Maggio
Musicale Fiorentino is
an annual celebration of
concerts, opera and dance.
Performances take place
at the Teatro Comunale
(above), and elsewhere in
the city, attracting stellar
musicians from across the
globe. This year, principal
conductor Zubin Mehta is
joined by names including
fotoNewPressPhotoFirenze
Esa-Pekka Salonen, Lang Lang
and Bruno Bartoletti. The
calendar features Wagner's
G�tterd�mmerung, Verdi's
Macbeth, works by Handel
to mark the composer's
250th anniversary and a
ballet staged in Piazza della
Signoria at the city's heart.
When the festival draws to a
close, concerts in the Boboli
Gardens keep the music
playing. Maggio Musicale
Fiorentino, April 29-July 2.
FESTIVAL OF NOTE
IN WITH THE NEW
RAVELLO How fitting for a
city that inspired the work of
German composer Richard
Wagner that Ravello's latest
masterpiece � designed
by Oscar Niemeyer, widely
regarded as the greatest
living contemporary architect
� is an auditorium worthy of
putting on the best classical
performances. The imposing
curved, open-sided structure,
named after the Brazilian
architectural titan, opens
in May and will provide the
city with a covered venue
for concerts and recitals
throughout the year.
It will also be an exciting
addition to this year's Ravello
Festival � originally held in
honour of Wagner � which

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