A trip inside the gastronomy of the Italian Food Valley, guided by the local producers, in one of the most beautiful square in Italy; the show “Christmas Tales” with many events for children and adults; two concerts that pay homage to Giuseppe Verdi and to the musical tradition of the city, in the magnificent surrounding of the Teatro Regio and the Auditorium by Renzo Piano; the traditional and unfailing New Year’s Eve gig: Parma is ready big time to celebrate the festive season.
Christmas and New Year’s Eve are coming up and there’s a growing desire to live the most authentic tradition, especially that related to food, symbol of this time of year. Enjoy Parma during the Christmas holidays, it is more than ever a full immersion in the aromas and scents of this land, the heart of the Italian Food Valley.
Parma the Creative City for Gastronomy nominated by UNESCO offers a sensory journey between its quality food products, helding from 14th to 23th of December the fourth edition of the market “Come una volta”(like the old days). Not only food tasting, but also fun for everyone with a series of events including shows, readings and workshops, and great music, in Giuseppe Verdi’s land. Three are the main moments that mark the passage from 2017 to 2018: the Gala dinner at the Teatro Regio, the New Year’s Eve gig in the main square and New Year’s concert at the Auditorium Paganini on the 1st of January.
Discover the authentic flavours
In the historic and central Piazza Garibaldi, the social and cultural gathering square of the city, from 14th to 23th of December is staged the fourth edition of the market “Come una volta”(like the old days) sponsored by the Consortium for the protection of the black pig, by the Municipality of Parma and Parma UNESCO City of Gastronomy. An appointment with the magic moment of Christmas lunch made of ancient tastes and traditions of the territory, along with local producers who for generations have been handed down the secrets of the culinary tradition. Several stands where you can taste and buy local products that have helped make Parma UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy.
Christmas Tales
The show “Christmas Tales” offers many events for children and grown ups, from 12th of December to 7th of January spread across the city in different locations (San Ludovico Gallery, the National Gallery, the Governor’s Palace and Stuard Gallery). For the kids: shows, workshops, laboratories and animated readings, concluding with an entire day dedicated to “Lego world”. Furthermore the section “other stories” dedicated to an adult audience (the meetings are free, for information Tel. 0521 218924).
Music, Maestro!
To have a good start of the new year the “parmigiani” enjoy two concerts that will be held in the “temples of music” in Giuseppe Verdi’s city. And so while on 31th of December the New Year’s Eve Gala will be hosted in the Teatro Regio, a masterpiece of early nineteenth century commissioned by the Duchess Maria Luigia of Habsburg-Lorraine, the 1st of January New Year’s concert will be held at the Auditorium Paganini, designed by famous architect Renzo Piano, an innovative example of industrial archaeological recovery of the former venue of the sugar factory Eridania. A point of dialogue between past and present.
The New Year’s Eve Gala presents a classical repertory, with music by Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, Rossini, Camille Saent-Saens, Ravel. Under the guidance of Maestro and conductor Francesco Ivan Ciampa, the orchestra will accompany the soprano Maria Mudryak, tenor Stefan Pop, the baritone and bass Amartuvshin Enkhbat and the bass Giacomo Prestia. Part of the takings will be donated to charity. Following the concert in the “Ridotto” of the Teatro Regio will be held the Gala dinner (for information and reservations www.teatroregioparma.it ). On New Year’s Eve the traditional gig will be playing in the main square of the city: this year the Garibaldi square will host a free concert by the italian rapper Fedez . A moment not to be missed for thousands of people who each year gather together to celebrate with music and toast in the street.
The 2018 begins with the traditional Concerto dei Filarmonici di Busseto the 1st of January at the Auditorium Paganini, with two shows at 3.30pm and at 6pm. The ensemble since 2000 offers the city a good start of the year. Near Busseto, in the small village of Roncole, Giuseppe Verdi was born just over a century ago: the small town on the outskirts of Parma is very proud of his musical roots (information and reservations: www.biglietteriateatroregioparma.it ).
