We still communicate very often with friends from our homeland, and we always get the same questions: Have you already visited Rome, Milan, Siena, Naples, Turin, Palermo, or Genoa?
They are beautiful cities and regions, but they aren't going anywhere—we will visit them someday. We have no deadline to meet or tourist itinerary to complete. All in good time.
When we settled here almost two years ago, we had no idea how many cultural activities occur in the Serchio Valley. Since the last mayoral election, I have been following online not only the mayor but also one of the driving forces behind the political party Ancora Insieme, Armando Fancelli. I saw the poster for a theater show in Diecimo (Borgo a Mozzano). Since it is still summer with lovely temperatures, they (Borgo è Belleza) organize these events outdoors at very specific locations.
The poster said the show would start at 9:00 p.m., but by now, we know the Italian clock and the performance started at 9:30 p.m. The chosen location was the Pieve di Santa Maria church, naturally situated in the center of the village of Diecimo.
Built at the beginning of the 12th century by Countess Matilda of Canossa, it features a layout with three naves and a large semicircular apse. The facade, simple and regular, relies on the decoration of the masonry made of large limestone blocks and the figures on the lintel of the entrance portal. Next to it stands the bell tower, inspired by Lombard-Lucchese prototypes with battlements added in the 19th century. The church houses some remnants of sculptural furnishings from the first half of the 13th century: a bas-relief depicting the prophet Isaiah, two lions with prey, and a capital with eagles. Noteworthy is the presence of a 13th-century hexagonal baptismal font, a Roman sarcophagus, and an erratic slab depicting a knight with a large shield, locally referred to as King Pepin.
The church itself is already worth a visit but let's not get sidetracked and keep the focus on the show “Le erbe di San Giovanni” (St. John’s Herbs).
The direction was in the hands of Stefano Nannizzi, with coordination by Simona Girelli. The play "Mezzo Mondo" was also written by Stefano Nannizzi, whom we also know as the creative director of the famous Halloween festivities in Borgo a Mozzano. The local actors come from Logastudio - Anonima Teatranti and Filodrammatica from Valdottavo.
In Belgium, we were also familiar with folk or amateur theater, often marked by clichéd slapstick humor and over-the-top acting. The contrast with professional theater companies was quite stark in certain regions, despite we also knew amateur groups that delivered good performances in their dialect. The theme is not unfamiliar to us, so we did not have high expectations for this local theater production.
We were blown away; it was stunning and impressive. We had goosebumps from our toes to the back of our ears. What a production—handled with such professionalism, we lack enough stars to rate this performance. If someone told us that aliens had landed on our planet, we would believe it happened in Borgo a Mozzano, such a breeding ground for local talent. They should make a TV series about the residents of our village instead of the trashy soap operas currently shown on TV channels.
Narrators explained the life of San Giovanni Leonardi and the history of medicinal herbs combined with a fairy tale that reminded us of *The Wizard of Oz* and *Alice in Wonderland*. The performance featured outstanding acting by various colorful and bizarre characters, plus projected graphics on the church façade. Singing and dancing were interwoven like an exquisitely crafted Eastern tapestry. To stage such a detailed piece for a small audience of about 100 people at a venue that captivates you was remarkable. Those who missed it should be required to swim the entire Serchio River.
Seventeen hectares of flowers to the full crew, from the lead actress to the silent king, and for the ballerina performing on a rather uneven surface. Congratulations to everyone. Oooh and at the end food and drinks were served, free for everyone.
Not knowing that there were more productions from Borgo é Bellezza this summer in Tempagnano, we feel guilty that we did not attend. We might as well start swimming the Serchio and hope they fish us out in the Ligurian Sea. But we won't lament, as we know the next production will take place on September 5 in Valdottavo, we will be there.
In our daily lives, we often struggle with the speed of the Italian language. Fortunately, in the theater, they speak at a cruise-control pace, making it understandable for foreign newcomers. We keep repeating that language is communication and want to master this beautiful language. We continue to stumble and rise, but giving up is not in our vocabulary. One day, we hope to reach the point where Italians will say, "We didn't know there were natural blonde Italians."
