Life continues to be good in southern Italy. Monday evening we took advantage of our first cultural opportunity by attending a ballet at the Teatro Politeama Greco which is located close to us. One thing Polley and I keep remarking on is how convenient our apartment is to nearly everything. It is a short walk downtown to the Supermarcato, we are 5 minutes from the theatre, and the Piazza St.’Oronzo, truly the social center of the town, is a 5-7 minute walk. At times it is longer because we have to pass 3 wine bars to get there!
The ballet that we saw was called “Radio and Juliet.” It was, of course, based on Romeo and Juliet, but was danced to the music of the relatively contemporary group Radiohead. It was quite spectacular. The company was 5 men, all wearing very form-fitting Italian suits (with purple lining) with no shirt underneath. The girl, Juliet, of course, mostly wore tight-fitting shorts and a bustier. It was incredibly athletic for the most part, with some slower, very sensual moments. It was loosely based on R & J, but you got the most significant scenes, the meeting of R & J, the fights, the death of Mercutio, Tybalt and, finally, Romeo and Juliet. It lasted only about an hour, but the choreography was so distinctive that any more and it would have become redundant.
The most amazing part of the evening was the starting time. I had been told it would start at 8:30 p.m. although the poster said it would begin at 8:45 p.m. Naturally, for those of you who truly know us, meant that we got there about 8:10. There was hardly anyone there and the doors were not open. Polley and I wandered off to get a coffee and came back about 8:40. There were a few more people and the doors were open. We went to our seats for the 8:45 curtain and sat. There were very few in the theatre and so we waited. People continued to drift in, socialize and find there seats. At 9:25, with the main floor of the theatre nearly full, the program begin. That is Italy!
I hesitate to say it, but spring and warmer weather may have arrived. Tuesday was a clear and lovely morning. I did the walk and found a self-service laundry, something we have not been able to locate. However, our friendly little Czech waitress (cameriera) told us of a place (also not terribly far from the apartment) and, indeed, it was just what we were looking for. That will, doubtless, be Thursday’s adventure.
Polley and I, after some fooling with our internet connection which was not working well (we had a failed attempt at a Skype call home) and some e-mails, took advantage of the nice weather. We went to the main Piazza Saint’Oronzo and it was amazing how much the town had come alive with the addition of a little sun. Tours of school kids were everywhere, we passed some American tourists (something we have seen none of since arriving) and others from Germany and France. Life was buzzing. WE strolled up the Corso Vittorio Emmanuelle, which runs through the center of town to the north to Porta Rudiae
This is one of three monumental gates of the old city and takes its name from an old Roman settlement that was about 3 kilometres out of Lecce.
As we strolled up this main street we came across one of Lecce’s 40 churches. This one is San Giovanni Battista (Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista).
I have not taken many photos because things have been so grey, but today the sun was shining.
As we came back down to the square I got a couple of pictures of the Roman Theatre, one of two in the town.
It also comes, as do the theatres in Rome, complete with its own cat
On our way home, I got these photos of Chiesa di Santa Croce, which is just up the street from us.
This style is called barocco Leccese and was developed between the later half of the 16th century and the early 18th century. It was designed to display wealth and power (and a little bad-taste!).
It is all done with a local, compact-grained limestone that is soft and easy to work with. Later it is hardened by using a fluid containing whole milk which reduced its porosity (a word?). I will be entertaining you with many more of these gems and, doubtless, some detail of the gargoyles, corbels, cornices, etc that are a part of Santa Croce.
The rest of the day was very relaxing. We sat out 3 times for glasses of wine, once at noon (the hour at which some Mussolini-like recording of an opera aria plays, later around 5 and then we went down to Santa Cruz wine bar for a nightcap. A great day and I hope the first of many more.
Ed and Polley
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