25th International Festival of Music bands “Valle d'Itria”

Cisternino, Puglia, Italy. Thursday / Sunday 20/23-July-2023.

A long weekend of music courtesy of the Festival Internazionale Bande Musicale with added jazz and opera. I cannot believe that I didn't blog the previous festivals in 2018 and 2022 but so it would seem so here is the first write up. 

The line-up:

• the Sindos Concert Band from Grecia 🇬🇷
• De Útlopers of Sneek from Holland 🇳🇱
• the First Majorettes of Rijeka from Croatia 🇭🇷
• the "Cossu Brunetti" Music Band of Nurri from Sardinia 🇮🇹
• the Pontolliese Music Band with the Majorettes of Ponte dell’Olio from Emilia Romagna 🇮🇹
• The host, Wind Orchestra "Vitino Zizzi" from Cisternino! 🇮🇹

Thursday opening ceremony in our street. 

Thursday night Aeronautica Militarea, military band of 3rd "Regione Aerea" celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Italian Airforce.

The Aeronautica Militarea were really good.

The "Cossu Brunetti" Music Band of Nurri from Sardinia.

Friday night jazz at Bar FOD, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele.

Bar FOD have switched their Sunday lunchtime Aperitivo Classico for a regular Friday jazz slot because it was getting too hot for the musicians in the midday sun.

Friday - the hosts, Wind Orchestra "Vitino Zizzi" from Cisternino in Piazza Garibaldi.

First Majorettes of Rijeka from Croatia.

Friday second band in Piazza Garibaldi.

Saturday night we switched festivals to the Festival Della Valle D'Itria as we had tickets for the opera L’Orazio in Martina Franca. This opera festival specialises in resurrecting little known or rarely performed opera. No photos during the performance of course. The venue alternates between this, Teatro Verdi, and the courtyard of the Ducal Palace.

Sunday night back in Cisternino warming up / rehearsing for the grand finale featuring members from various bands.

The Pontolliese Music Band with the Majorettes of Ponte dell’Olio from Emilia Romagna.

The Majorettes of Ponte dell’Olio.

On the last night of the festival the various band parade around the town. We went for a late supper at Tre Lanterne in Cisternino Piazza V Emmanuel II and got a good view from the terrazzo.

The Sindos Concert Band from Greece.

The De Útlopers of Sneek from Holland. 

In 2018 the band from Holland were great fun, they wore yellow wellies clearly having a good time so I followed them on Facebook. The first picture was of the concert and the rest were of them down the beach. It looked like the festival was just an excuse to go for a holiday! 

Finally a nightcap at our usual vantage point cafe and the final entertainment of the night - La Compagnia Elena D. - abseiling acrobats off the Torre Normanno Sveva whilst the combined band played their last pieces.

By then it was midnight so off to bed.