From 5th at Parco della Musica

Flamenco! A greatSpanish artRome’s Auditorium comes to

life with the art of flamenco.Produced by the Musica perRoma Foundation, and with thedirection of Juan Angel Vela delCampo, the festival at its 4th edi-tion offers more than just a tasteof the three main categories ofthe art of flamenco: “el cante” –traditional flamenco singing, “eltoque” – instrumental musicaccompanied by the clapping ofhands and the tapping of feet,

and “el baile” – dance. The pro-gramme features many bignames including acclaimed con-temporary flamenco dancer andchoreographer Israel Galvanwith his recent work “La Curva”.For dance fans other names tolook out for are those of EvaYerbabuena and RafaelaCarrasco. And there is star sin-ger Carmen Linares with a pro-gramme dedicated to Spanishpoets, and multi award-winningpianist David Pena Dorantesthanks to whom the piano hasacquired star status in the fla-menco firmament. AuditoriumParco della Musica, Viale P. deCoubertin, tel. 0680241281,www.auditorium.com

FESTIVAL

Antony and the Johnsons’ “Swanlights”2005 was the year that Antony and the Johnsons broke through to

mainstream awareness with their Mercury Award-winning album “Iam a Bird Now”. Described as something of a modern-day WilliamBlake, the sophisticated New York singer and composer Antony Hegarty,

has continued to release success aftersuccess including the 2009 “TheCrying Light” and the 2010“Swanlights”, into which he dips forthis Rome concert that goes to stagewith the collaboration of LightDesigner Chris Levine. In bothalbums Hegarty expresses a visiona-ry, elemental sense of nature, andespecially in “Swanlights” he conti-nues to link himself with what hesees as a dying natural world. Aworld of which he sings with suchlove and sadness that it is clear thatAntony is talking about the end ofeverything, not just himself.Auditorium Parco della Musica,Viale P. de Coubertin, tel.0680241281, www.auditorium.com

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TROVAROMA

Ben Hur, the gladiator liveTouring Europe since

2009, “Ben Hur Live” atlast disembarks in Romewith the promise of beingable to host 2.400 spectatorsper show. The statistics aremind-boggling. It requires620 tonnes of sand, involvesa cast and crew of 400 and atotal of 46 horses, donkeysand ponies. The extravaganzais the brainchild of German impresario Franz Abraham, and tells thefamous story of the Jewish prince Judah Ben Hur, who heroically freeshimself from slavery in a sea battle, converts to Christianity, and then for-gives his Roman nemesis Messala after making him bite the dust at theracetrack. The music is by the Police's Stewart Copeland, and Italianactor Luca Ward provides live on-stage narration. The highlights of theshow are undoubtedly the sea battle, and the famous chariot race whichfeatured Charlton Heston in the Oscar-winning Hollywood success.From 29th September to end November at the Nuova Fiera di Roma.Tickets from 32 to 122 euros. Info www.benhurlive.com

SHOW From 29th at the Nuova Fiera di Roma

Monday 3rd at Parco della Musica

A scene from the show “Ben Hur”

Antony

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Lippi and Botticelli

ART

Entitled “Filippino Lippi and Sandro Botticelli in15th century Florence”, this exhibition aims to

shine the light on the approximately 34 years ofLippi's career. Lippi was anextremely prolific artist andhis work ranged frompanels, to frescoes, fromdrawings on colouredpaper to paintings. Theworks on show are fromleading internationalmuseums and private col-lections. A selection ofworks by Botticelli also pro-vides the public with anopportunity for stylisticcomparison with his master,his friend, and ultimatelyhis rival. From 5th Octoberto 15th January at Scuderiedel Quirinale, Via XXIVMaggio, tel. 0639967500.

Georgia O’KeeffeThis retrospective curated by Barbara Buhler

Lynes of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in SantaFe, shines the light on the multi-faceted universe of

the American artist who pla-yed a part in changing thecourse of modern history ofart. The exhibit shows morethan 60 works as well as aselection of photographs byfamous American photogra-phers capturing momentsand places in the life ofO’Keeffe. Spectators can alsovisit a faithful reconstructionof the artist’s workshop com-plete with tools and perso-nal objects. From 4th Octo-ber to 22nd January at Fon-dazione Roma Museo, Palaz-zo Cipolla, Via del Corso 320,tel. 0639967888. 10am to8pm. Mondays closed.

“Adoration of the Magi” by Botticelli from theUffizi Gallery in Florence

EXHIBITIONSMENASHE KADISHMANAn exhibition by the Israeli ar-tist Menashe Kadishman fea-tures his famous “Sheep”.The sheep portraits have be-come Kadishman's trade-mark since the 1978 VeniceBiennale, where he presen-ted a flock of coloured livesheep as living art. In 1995,he began creating sheep por-traits and sculptures, figurespermeated by Biblical symbo-lism, metaphors of life, pea-ce and brotherhood. Until30th November at ErmannoTedeschi Gallery, Via del Por-t ico d’Ottavia 7, tel.0645551063. 10am-1pm,3pm-7pm. Saturday and Sun-day by appointment.

THREE AMIGOSThis is a single project that co-mes to life in three presti-gious art venues. It offers thepublic the chance to get toknow three big names of theNew York art scene of recentyears. They are Dan Colen,Nate Lowman, and the youn-gest and least for tunate,Dash Snow. The memory ofSnow has lives on at Macrowith the screening of his work“Sysiphus, Sissy Fuss, SillyPuss”, filmed in super8 in2009, the year of his death.Nate Lowman occupies two ro-oms of the American Academyin Rome with a complex instal-lation made up of some thirtypaintings. Dan Colen is ho-sted by Palazzo Rospigliosi forwhich he has created twenty

large canvases. Macro, ViaNizza 135; 11am-10pm; Monclosed; tickets 11 euros, redu-ced tickets 9 euros; until 11thDecember. American Acade-my, Via Angelo Masina 5, tel.065852151; 11am-6pm; freeentry; until 11th October. Pa-lazzo Rospigliosi, Via XXIVMaggio 43, tel.0647848064; 11am-6pm;free entry; until 9th October.DAN COLEN“Trash” is the title of Dan Co-len’s first major exhibition inRome. This show demonstra-tes how Colen has learned towork with abject things andmaterials by tapping into their

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TROVAROMA

Richard Strauss' monumental “Elektra” returns to the Rome stagein a production directed by Nikolaus Lehnhoff which premiered

successfully at the 2010 Salzburg Festival. The libretto by Hugo vonHofmannsthal is a highly focused and suffocating adaptation ofSophocles' near-demented Elektra and her obsessive drive to avengethe murder of her father, Agamemnon. On the podium, Stefan Sol-tesz conducts a stellar cast including Felicity Palmer, Eva Johansson,Melanie Diener, Wolfgang Schmidt and Alejandro Marco-Buhrme-ster. From 30th September to 8th October at Teatro dell’Opera, Piaz-za B. Gigli, tel. 06481601, www.operaroma.it

CLASSICAL MUSIC

“Elektra”, tragedy and myth

Eva Johansson

From 30th at Teatro dell’Opera

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individual histories and expo-sing their latent energies.Each painting is described as“an actual and still-potent re-cord of real time and visceralexperience, offering unexpec-ted moments of transcenden-ce”. Until 29th October at Ga-gosian Gallery, Via FrancescoCrispi 16. 10.30am-7pm & byappointment. Sunday andMonday closed. MAXXIRome’s Museum dedicated tothe Arts of the XXIst century

inaugurates the season withtwo new exhibitions: “CampoBaeza. The Tree of Creation”and “Exhibiting the collection.Architectural Projects fromthe Collexion of MAXXI Archi-tettura 1950-2010”. The for-mer, which consists in a largeinstallation that recreates themental landscape of Alber toCampo Baeza represents thethird episode of the Mu-seum’s Nature cycle exploringnew interpretations of con-temporary architectural rese-arch (Until 30th October).The latter presents a selec-tion of over 70 works by 18architects, the majority ofwhich are on show for thefirst time while all are drawnfrom the Museum of Architec-ture’s collections (until 13thNovember). Both exhibitionsare visible from 8th Septem-ber. Museo Nazionale delleArti del XXI Secolo, Via GuidoReni 4a, tel. 063225178.11am-7pm. Thursday and Sa-turday 11am-10pm. Mondayclosed.ROMAN AQUEDUCTSThirty architects, artists, pho-tographers, writers, poets andone musician focus on a sin-gle subject: Roman Aque-ducts. Works by the likes ofSantiago Calatrava, Paolo Por-toghesi, Mimmo Paladino, Va-lerio Magrelli and music com-posed for the occasion byGiorgio Battistelli celebratethe beauty and the genius ofthis incomparable architectu-ral element that gives a uni-

que historical and aestheticalidentity to so much Romanlandscape. Until 6th Novem-ber at Cinecittàdue Arte Con-temporanea, Cinecittà Shop-ping Centre, Viale Palmiro To-gliatti 2, tel. 067220910.Open from 11am to 7.30pm.BATTLE PAINTERS BATTLEPAINTING FROM THEXVITH TO THE XVIIITHCENTURYThe exhibition displays pain-tings devoted to the themes ofwar and military life. The 60works on show exhaustively illu-strate the genre, with paintingsby all of its most significant ex-ponents from the beginning ofthe 17th, throughout the XVIIIthcentury. Villa d’Este, Tivoli. Tel.0774335850. Open from8.30am to 6.45pm; Mondayclosed. Until 30th October.PORTRAITS. THE MANYFACES OF POWERMore than 150 precious arti-facts are on show, includingbas-reliefs, busts and statueson loan from major Europeanmuseums. The exhibition exa-mines the origins of Romanportraiture, as well as the dif-ferent techniques used by Ro-man artists ranging from theRepublican era to the late-an-cient period. Until 23th Octo-ber at the Capitoline Mu-seums, Piazza del Campido-glio 1. Opening hours 9am to8pm. Monday closed. For in-formation tel. 060608.

con la collaborazione di Linda Bordoni

TROVAROMA

Romics is the name of the annual Rome festivalwhich claims to offer “the best of international

cartoons, animated films and videogames”. Thefour-day event, at its 11th edition, includes a diver-se programme featuring encounters with a host ofwell-known cartoonists, lectures, a competition forthe best graphic novel, a dubbing Gala, a cycle ofworld animation-film premieres and exhibitions. Aside-programme features a number of special eventsincluding a “Smurfs” party and a tribute to DylanDog. There is also a fun “Cosplay” parade broughtto life by live cartoon characters and animationheroes. This year the space has been enlarged tocomprise a food pavilion, as well as commercialstands and a sprawling “entertainment” area. From29th September to 2nd October at Nuova Fiera diRoma. For information tel . 0693953069,www.romics.it

FESTIVAL

“Romics”, cartoons, animation and videogames

“Pirates” a new animation feature film releasedby Aardman Animation to be premiered at “Romics” on Saturday 1st

From 29th to 2nd at the Nuova Fiera di Roma

Mr. BigReunited after a 16 year

hiatus, the American popmetal group Mr. Big hasrecently released a newalbum entitled “What if…”.Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, BillySheehan, and Pat Torpey,along with producer KevinShirley have produced theirspecial blend of soul, rock,power-pop and heartfelt bal-lads. Critics agree that “Whatif…” may not break newground stylistically, but Mr.Big has pulled of an admira-ble feat by reuniting in spiteof personality conflicts, andputting together a solidalbum so they can return tothe stage. Live in concert onSaturday 1st at Atlantic Live,Viale dell’Oceano Atlantico271, tel. 0654220870,www.the-base.it

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