Monthly Archives: September 2017

Tragic Darkness Hits Lucca’s ‘Luminara’ Celebrations

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My article about the Ealing Symphony orchestra concert and the excellent acoustics of Lucca’s Santa Maria Corteorlandini was going to be mentioned by the organiser of the next concert at the same venue, Elio Antichi, on the first of September, when a tragedy struck Lucca and Elio, out of respect, cancelled the concert.

Every year the city’s major event is the Luminara, an occasion when its most precious relic is celebrated and the whole town is illuminated by myriads of candles. September is the big month for Lucca; “il settembre Lucchese” is built around the Festa dell’Esaltazione della Santa Croce where the Volto Sacro or Holy Face – the ancient relic supposed to be a likeness of Christ and carved by St Nicodemus – is paraded within the walled city in a mammoth candlelit procession and where the whole evening is climaxed by a stupendous fireworks display.

I’ve described this occasion in more detail in my posts at:

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2016/09/21/lucca-by-candle-light/

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2014/09/16/holy-face/

Sadly this year two workmen involved in setting up the candles on some buildings in Lucca’s Via Vittorio Veneto died when the jib of the crane supporting the platform, from which they were installing the candles, gave way because of a hydraulic piston failure. This sent one of the workmen to his immediate death from a height of ten metres. The other workman expired shortly afterwards in Lucca’s hospital.

The workmen’s names were Eugenio Viviani, 54 years old from Santa Maria del Giudice e Antonio Pellegrini, 61 years old, from Lammari.

‘Morti Bianche’ (white deaths) is the name given to Italy’s fatal work accidents. Unfortunately, there are still too many of these happening in this country. No-one should have to die at work and yet in 2016 alone there were 1018 ‘morti bianche’ in Italy. This compares with just (!) 136 such deaths in the UK.

We all know that Italians love taking risks and that maintenance controls aren’t what they should be but this tragic accident has cast darkness over the forthcoming Luminara celebrations. Literally too, for there will be no candles lit at this year’s Luminara and there will be no fireworks to round off the evening as a sign of respect. It’s truly a sad moment for the families of the dead and, indeed, for all people who love Lucca.

PS I’ve since heard that the city will be lit by candles but that the palazzo from which the two workmen fell to their death will be kept unlit as a sign of remembrance for this tragic incident which has truly shocked Lucca.

New Life to Bagni di Lucca’s Protestant Cemetery

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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.

Autumnal Waterfalls?

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We returned yesterday to our favourite spot of the River Lima. In the late afternoon sun there seemed little hint of the raging night that had preceded the day except for the beautiful waterfalls created by the weir which has been well-restored (thankfully).

Summer had, indeed, returned, but already the atmosphere was tinged with the precursors of autumn. Today there is an energetic wind and a soft rainfall spreading throughout the landscape.

Will the concert to be given today at 5.30 p in the old protestant cemetery at Bagni di Lucca to celebrate the restoration of further tombs be rained off I wonder?

‘You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout Till you have drench’d our steeples,’

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Italy’s most torrid summer for almost fifteen years suddenly halted with a vengeance last night.  We’d spent the afternoon  by a placid stretch of our local river Lima, drolly named  ‘Miami Beach’  (actually ‘d rather spend my summer time by a river like this one that in any of regimented rows of sunbeds and umbrellas which characterise so much of the Italian seaside). It’s so lovely to be here and the fresh cold water remains pure, transparent and filled with a myriad of tiny fish.

All this placid memory changed just after last midnight. A thunderstorm broke out with intense ferocity and night sky was illuminated by innumerable lightning flashes, some of which seemed to break right over our heads. First thing to do in this situation is to disconnect the computer. I’ve had several friends who’ve woken up with burnt-out laptops as a result of these storms. Nothing could surely be more dismal. Most frightening for us might have been the intense amount of water falling which could have caused landslides behind our house.

Of course, rain was necessary but not many things occur in moderation in Italy especially with regard to the weather. The rain might have helped extinguish forest fires which have had quite a season here (three broke out near il Ciocco only last week). But lightning flashes can also start new fires.

Anyway here we are with a beautifully sodden lawn, happy ducks and the first rain we’ve had for over three weeks. And the sky is clearing too!

I wonder what the river look like this morning. Surely it will be full of amazing waterfalls. Let’s go and have a look at the Fiume Lima.