Bagni di Lucca’s old protestant cemetery used to be a veritable picture of gothick gloom with lichens and mosses devouring the darkened tomb stones and ivy spreading unchecked over the undecipherable inscriptions.
When the De Montaigne foundation embarked on a large programme of cemetery restoration I had my doubts whether it was a good idea. After all, mouldering, decaying graveyards are more conducive to melancholic thoughts about the transience of our earthly existence than any shining refurbished marble monuments surrounded by neatly trimmed lawns and well-kept paths.
I do not worry about this anymore now: the continuing restoration of Bagni’s cemetery has shown itself to be a truly worthwhile project. This was particularly apparent to me yesterday as I attended a special event celebrating the renewal of further tombs. The ‘cimitero’ is now no longer a benighted and rotting place but is fast transforming itself into a pantheon of almost Grecian neoclassical clarity with just a few tombs remaining to preserve the pallor of mossy decrepitude. There is, however, still the poignancy of reminding oneself how young some of the occupants of the graveyard are. It must be remembered that, in addition to the horrific hazards of childbirth and the infancy of medical science, must be added the fact that many people came to Bagni di Lucca for health reasons, given its special thermal waters, and just didn’t make it.
It was touch-and-go regarding the Veneto Accordion Quintet concert to be held at the cemetery as the whole day’s weather was volatile in its alternation of sunshine and showers. The concert venue was changed to the ex-Anglican church – now Bagni di Lucca’s public library.
The venue was filled to the brim. After an introduction to the new work completed on the cemetery the performance by the quintet followed. It was absolutely exhilarating. This was the programme:
The encore was the march from Verdi’s ‘Aida’. My favourite items were the Piazzolla and the Rossini played with exquisite sensitivity and truly spell-binding ‘accord’. I’ve never been particularly drawn to accordion concerts but my perception of the instrument has now considerably changed.
Full marks are due to the Fondazione Montaigne under the indefatigable leadership of Prof Cherubini for the vision to see the ‘Cimitero Inglese’ project continue and provide a further reason to visit the outstanding beauties of Bagni di Lucca.
A very interesting comment was made by a British citizen now resident in Bagni di Lucca that maybe each of these tombs could have a written potted history-biography for each tomb so that visitors can more easily put the person into context of the history of B di L of writers scientists etc etc that have been instrumental in making B di L what it is today an interesting colourful multi cultural area. Another promise stated at the conference regards the works carried out the good news seems to be that there will maybe no longer be further works so some of the natural ageing of these tombs will remain thus conserving some of the typical characteristics of the beautiful ancient English tombs overrun with ivy moss as well as the Gothic flavour that they portray.
Good point.
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