IL BORGO CANTATO - Festival della Musica tradizionale in Valle d'Itria

JULY 18th to 20th, "IL BORGO CANTATO" TRADITIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL RETURNS TO CISTERNINO IN THE ITRIA VALLEY. THE PROGRAM OF THE 15TH EDITION INCLUDES SEMINARS, CONFERENCES, AND CONCERTS.

For the 15th year, Cisternino will transform from July 18th to 20th into the "Borgo Cantato" for the Traditional Music Festival in the Itria Valley.

The event, organized by the Associazione Musicisti Valle d'Itria with the support and sponsorship of the Municipality of Cisternino and the contribution of the Banco di Credito Cooperativo di Locorotondo, features, along with traditional music concerts, traditional dance workshops, and ethnomusicological conferences led by dance anthropologist Giuseppe Michele Gala.

During the three evenings, the stage in Piazza Garibaldi will host, in addition to musicians and singers from the Associazione Musicisti Valle d'Itria, musical groups from Salento, Calabria, and Campania. Here are the program details.

The festival begins on July 18th at the Città dei Bambini (via Caboto 34) at 4 PM with a conference on the "Pizzica of Ostuni" led by Giuseppe M. Gala, followed from 5 PM to 8 PM by a technical dance lesson. Live popular music will take center stage from 9:30 PM in Piazza Garibaldi – Porta Grande, with the musicians and singers of the Associazione Musicisti Valle d'Itria, followed by a concert by "Alchemica" with Ninfa Giannuzzi, Carlo De Pascale, Pavlo Carta, and Giuseppe Nachira (Salento).

On July 19th, again at the Città dei Bambini, a conference on the "Villanella Reggiana" by G.M. Gala will take place at 4 PM, followed from 4:45 PM to 8 PM by a technical dance lesson. From 9:30 PM in Piazza Garibaldi – Porta Grande, there will be a concert by “Li Senature di Ostuni” followed by the “Mimmo Morello Trio” (Calabria).

Finally, on July 20th, the last conference at the Città dei Bambini, again at 4 PM by G.M. Gala, will cover the “Tarantella of Montemarano,” followed from 4:45 PM to 8 PM by a technical dance lesson. From 9:30 PM in Piazza Garibaldi – Porta Grande, there will be a musical performance by "Popular Folk", Valle d'Itria, and to close the festival, a grand finale with "I Solisti di Montemarano" (Campania).

In the nearby Villa Comunale, there will be a stand with frame drums by Anghel Fumarola and Borgo Cantato T-shirts.

In short, it's a rich three-day event for everyone, traditional music enthusiasts or not, an opportunity to spend three relaxing days in one of Italy’s and the Mediterranean's most beautiful villages, dedicating mornings to stroll among the trulli and along the nearby blue flag beaches, then diving into the afternoons and evenings in the delightful festival atmosphere, where the elderly and young gather to share their passion for tradition.

For information and to register for seminars: musicistivalleditria@libero.it