TRIO DE GUDE - "FRAMMENTI DI NOVECENTO"

On Sunday, September 7th, at 9:00 PM, in the enchanting “Sala del Caminetto” of Villa Cipressi, the audience will enjoy a concert by the Trio de Gude—a one-of-a-kind ensemble featuring:
Lorenzo Ottaviani and Samuele Provenzi on guitars, and Ettore Marcolini on percussion.

The program, entitled “Fragments of the Twentieth Century”, offers a captivating journey through the “short century” of music, weaving together musical languages and cultures that seem worlds apart: from the Beatles to the hypnotic minimalism of Steve Reich, to the tango revolution of Astor Piazzolla.

A performance designed to bring audiences closer to twentieth-century music, rediscovering its vitality and creative potential through a fresh, dynamic, and refined interpretation. All this thanks to an ensemble with a truly original sound—surprising and fascinating at once.

Admission is free, subject to seating availability.

At 8:45 PM, just before the concert, the official ceremony will take place to confer the honorary title of “Ambassador of Varenna in the World” upon the renowned American journalist Rick Steves.

It was back in 1991. Varenna was then a small village on the Lecco branch of Lake Como, known more for its narrow alleys than as a tourist destination. Its quiet charm was appreciated almost exclusively by vacationers from Milan. Then came a fateful encounter destined to leave its mark. A young journalist from Seattle—Rick Steves, fascinated by Europe (the subject of his university thesis) and soon to become immensely famous in the United States and worldwide—spent the night at the Hotel Olivedo.

It was Steves himself, the now-celebrated travel writer and broadcaster, who first sensed the unique atmosphere that set Varenna apart from so many other beautiful Italian towns. So much so that, in the preface of one of his guides, he wrote: “Varenna is in my heart.”

Since then, he has always carried Varenna with him—through his books, television and radio programs, and lectures—presenting it to the world as a “place of the soul.” Today, this once-quiet village, now an internationally beloved destination, pays tribute to Rick Steves by awarding him the civic honor of “Ambassador of Varenna in the World.”

The recognition was approved by the City Council, chaired by Mayor Mauro Manzoni. The official resolution states:
“Steves has tirelessly directed his travelers to Varenna. His approach has always been to encourage tourism that seeks to immerse itself in the local spirit, to understand and share the way of life and traditions. His travelers are mostly couples who travel by train or bus, who love and respect the environment, and who search for that sense of beauty and authenticity that may be missing in larger tourist cities, however full of attractions and masterpieces they may be.

For these reasons, today we thank Rick for his invaluable work on behalf of Varenna and its region—not just for the number of visitors he has guided here, but above all for their quality: respectful, curious, and considerate people, the kind that no one else has ever been able, or willing, to direct to our little Varenna.”