“We are restoring vitality to a city with increasingly ambitious scenarios, thanks also to the redevelopment of spaces that allow us to look beyond, and to imagine Catania as a sort of Edinburgh of the South, with festivals and events at the same time in several important sites, I feel a contagious enthusiasm.”
Mayor Enrico Trantino thus introduced, in the council room of Palazzo degli Elefanti, the presentation of the Catania Summer Fest 2024 program promoted by the Administration in synergy with institutions and cultural associations.
Over 160 events from June to October, including music, dance, literature, art and cinema, set in evocative scenarios and strongly representative of an evolving city, which is reclaiming spaces and places. First of all the Bellini Garden, with the new arena which has 5 thousand seats, the pedestrianized Piazza Federico di Svevia, the Mariella Lo Giudice court of the Palazzo della Cultura, stage and home for many artists, the Ursino Castle and the new space created in the courtyard of the Modern Art Gallery connected to the new Pinacoteza of the Santa Chiara museum complex which, until October, hosts the Caravaggio exhibition.
The program was illustrated by the mayor Enrico Trantino, who kept the delegation for Culture and major events for himself, together with the councilors of the council, the president of the city council Sebastiano Anastasi, the head of Cabinet Giuseppe Ferraro and the director of Culture Paolo Di Caro. Also participating in the meeting were several representatives of the cultural institutions and associations that collaborated in the realization of the events, starting from Teatro Massimo Vincenzo Bellini, Teatro Stabile and Istituto musicale Vincenzo Bellini and some of the music managers, including Nuccio La Ferlita from Puntoecapo
“Too often in this city – continued Mayor Trantino – we have given ourselves limits that are not compatible with our potential. The program developed as a whole is perhaps one of the most important in the South, with international attractions such as Il Volo or i Blue, emerging artists such as Ariete, up to Annalisa or evergreens such as Massimo Ranieri. Even singers who will perhaps hold their last concert here, as Umberto Tozzi seems to have announced. Or Antonello Venditti, Francesco De Gregori, just to name a few who are true national icons of entertainment. Artists who will perform in the heart of the city, in a Villa Bellini which now also has a grandstand that will allow seats to be assigned so as to avoid the long queues in via Etnea that we have seen in the past. Overall, it is an offer that allows us to provide answers to both international tourists and Italian tourists and residents of Catania. Because this city is on the edge of awakening and needs a push to fuel the desire of our citizens to believe more in our territory.”
Among the numbers of the event there are 67 evenings at the Palazzo della Cultura, 26 in the Castello Ursino Civic Museum, 7 in Piazza Federico di Svevia, 21 in the Bellini Garden, 19 in the Gallery of Modern Art, to which will be added several other events in via of definition. The mayor also recalled that the Metro will extend the time of the last ride from Piazza Stesicoro every Friday and Saturday until one in the morning.
Among the numerous shows, there will also be free initiatives proposed right in Piazza Federico di Svevia with Palcoscenico Catania, or in other sites thanks to the Bellini Conservatory, Corti in courtyard, Bellini International, the Puppet Opera and other collaborations.
Among the first scheduled events, “La giara” by Pirandello at the Palazzo della Cultura already underway with performances until June 21st, “Giovanna D’Arco” (until June 23rd) at Castello Ursino, Fabrizio Bosso with a tribute to Pino Daniele in Piazza Federico di Svevia (1 July, free), CCCP at Villa Bellini on 4 July. Sponsor of the Catania Summer Fest 2024 Glò, Bacco, Etnapolis, while Radio Studio Centrale will be the official radio of the events.
The entire calendar is available on the website of the Municipality of Catania, Catania Summer Fest section
Updates also on the Facebook pages of the Municipality of Catania and the Department of Culture.
