Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April, last two days in the historic center of Salerno to participate in the XXXII edition of the Ritrovato Crucifix Fair. It will be one non-stop events, from morning to evening, all free, one of the few events for the whole family, children and adults together for “A thousand and more – a dive into the Middle Ages”, this is the slogan that promises a real journey through time, into the golden years of the market and the artists of road, when the city was known throughout Europe for its fair and related attractions. The latter are guaranteed with the best artists from all over Italy: acrobats, fire eaters, stilt walkers, jesters, dancers, magicians, illusionists, falconers, merchants and so on. There are two historic markets – Piazza Tempio di Pomona and Piazza Sant’Agostino – but also in the surroundings of the Duomo.
The Ritrovato Crucifix Fair is organized by Bottega San Lazzaro and is supported by: Municipality of Salerno, Chamber of Commerce, CNA, Campania Region, Province of Salerno, Ministry of Culture, Coldiretti, Salernitana Community Foundation, Carisal Foundation and the School Foundation Medical Salerno. The artistic director is Gianluca Foresithe organizational director is Chiara Natella.
MEDIEVAL DRAWING AND CERAMICS WORKSHOP
Among the new features of this edition: in Piazza Abate Conforti there will be free medieval drawing workshops for children and medieval games (wood and iron) for everyone, young and old.
TECHNOLOGY FOR TRAVELING THROUGH HISTORY
Thanks to three-dimensional viewers and an original app created by him, in Piazza Alfano I, in front of the Cathedral, the young man from Salerno Alberto Capobianco will allow visitors to see how the medieval urban fabric of Salerno was made.
THE INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT ARRIVES IN SALERNO
Just scroll through the program to realize that the major artists and protagonists of historical re-enactments will converge towards Salerno. There are several groups of artists, coming from all over Italy, and specializing in medieval re-enactments around Europe. It goes from “The Errabundi Musici“, who perform in costume with copies of ancient instruments (flutes, bagpipes, fifes, bombards, percussions), at Muses of the Devil, where muse stands for bagpipes: they intend to recover and make the ancient melodies lost over the centuries resonate, with the aim of reawakening the connection with Nature and man’s primordial instinct. An instinct that with the advent of the Middle Ages was weakened and crushed, to the point of becoming forbidden and demonized. Then there are “The acrobats of the village“, which combine the theater with the circus of the Middle Ages, Descalso Giullare, or rather a particular juggler, a character between the eccentric and the poetic, who uses feet as hands and vice versa and who makes fire something to smile about and not be afraid of . I Circatheater of Urbino. The artists in question travel the world with street and spoken word theater that takes its inspiration from the art of acrobats and medieval wandering artists, proposing together commedia dell’arte, juggling, acrobatics, clowning and dance .
And then again flag-wavers of the Città de la Cava Group “The four districts – Luca Barba”, which will take place in shows of great technical skill, with the flags rotating, hovering in the air, synchronized. The historic center of Salerno, as promised in the title of the 2024 Ritrovato Crucifix Fair, will allow you to take a dive into the year 1000 and its surroundings, into the heart of the Middle Ages.
THE IRNO FALCONIERS: THE ART RECOGNIZED BY UNESCO
“I Falconieri dell’Irno” will be present at the Fair, who with around thirty birds of prey will make people appreciate the beauty of acrobatic birds and the unpredictable flights they perform. In 2010, UNESCO recognized falconry as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity. It is an art that saw a great admirer in the cultured medieval sovereign Frederick II of Swabia, so much so that he wrote a treatise which is still a masterpiece today: “Il de arte venandi cum avibus”, the art of hunting with birds, which contemplates the habits and characteristics of hundreds of bird species and is accompanied by rich miniatures. With the utmost respect for animals. It is, in fact, good to point out that LThe flight teaching-demonstration includes simulations of hunting on fake prey and involvement of the public, always respecting the animals: all birds of prey are legally detained, born in captivity on controlled farms and reported to the state forestry corps. Among the species that can be admired: Barn Owl, African Eagle Owl, Bengalese Eagle Owl, Harris Buzzard, Malaysian Owl, Sacred Falcon, Chilean Eagle, Red-necked Vulture.
THE CRUCIFIX ON STAGE.
On Saturday 27 April, at 7.00 pm, outdoors in Piazza Tempio in Pomona, there will be the possibility of enjoying the theatrical version of Diego De Silva’s story: “Moralistic Angels”. With Ludovica Sguazzo and Cinzia Ugatti, directed by Andrea Carraro. At Apollonia Hub, however, on Saturday 27 April at 8.15pm, ‘O cunto d’o mago Barliario’ by Corradino Pellecchia will be staged – Director: Andrea Carraro – Performer Gaetano Fasanaro. On April 27, at 6.30 pm, at the Arco Catalano, Brunella Caputo and Davide Curzio will give voice to “Trotula and the beauty of women”.
INSIGHTS ON THE CULTURE OF THE MIDDLE AGES
As already successfully tested last year, on the occasion of the Fair there will be various cultural insights into the Middle Ages and surrounding areas. A section strongly desired by the artistic director, Gianluca Foresi. Here are some of the topics addressed with illustrious speakers: “The Salerno of the Provençal kings between jesters, troubadours and tournaments”; “Discovering the church of San Benedetto, the last home of the magician Barliario”; “The thousand-year tradition of the Schola Salerni between memory and valorization”; “The wide moonlit Gulf of Salerno and the ancient greenery. A journey through terraced gardens and vegetable gardens, historic fountains and forgotten springs.” And then a broad focus on “Il Calcio Storico Fiorentino”, with speakers who will come directly from Tuscany: David Bini – President of the Fiorentina Museum, Filippo Giovannelli – Director of the Historical Parade of the Florentine Republic and Calcio Storico Fiorentino, Dario Nardini – Cultural anthropologist
MEDIEVAL MARKETS DOUBLE: POMONA AND SANT’AGOSTINO
In Piazza Tempio di Pomona and Piazza Sant’Agostino the events of the socio-commercial life of the Middle Ages will be relived: the market with goods and crafts of the past: the distillation of perfumes, wool spinning, basket making, ceramics, ancient stones . This year with something new, a nod to the local economy with today’s artisans.
THE FOOD OF THE OLD TIME IS SERVED ON THE TABLE
How did people eat in the Middle Ages? What did they eat in the Middle Ages? To have a taste, it must be said, all you have to do is go to Piazza dei Barbuti to taste a revisitation of the dishes of the Medieval Tavern.
DAILY GAMES OF THE MIDDLE AGES
In Piazza Abate Conforti, there will be medieval games curated by “Ochi et Meraviglie” by Monna Amneris and messer Diego. Games rigorously made of iron and wood, accurate reconstructions of the simple and ingenious pastimes that were practiced around the year one thousand, involving adults and children in playful activities that also required logical skills and allowed time to be spent in moments of great aggregation. The games are free to use.
HISTORY HAS NEVER BEEN SO CLEAR
Schools will also be protagonists, which will make “diving into the Middle Ages” easier and more accessible to everyone. With the Convitto Nazionale T. Tasso, associated headquarters F. Trani, local crafts will be offered in Piazza Tempio in Pomona. For its part, the IIS “B. Focaccia” – Salerno with Officine Dinamo, in Largo Abate Conforti, will propose impromptu writing and drawing workshops linked to the medieval city. And then practical art lessons, with SGS Stand of the Salerno school of ceramic art. And then traveling readings of the book “Salerno Walks for Curious Children” and much more.
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