Bologna City Guide - Culture

When Bologna was named a European City of Culture in 2000, it brought much attention from those who previously had known little about the city, although Bologna's cultural life has been thriving for centuries. Bologna has strong musical links - Mozart and Rossini both studied in the city and the former was just 14 when he became a member of the city's Accademia Filarmonica, one of Europe's leading musical academies, founded in 1666. Rossini, who hailed from nearby Pesaro, made his operatic debut here in 1814, with Tancredi and The Italian Girl in Algiers. Both works received a cool reception, in marked contrast to the Italian premiere of Wagner's Lohengrin, which delighted the Bolognese audience and ran for a record 18 performances. The rapturous plaudits stunned even the egocentric Wagner, who declared such success was only possible in a city whose motto was Libertas (Freedom). Wagner was later made an honorary citizen of Bologna, adding further lustre to the city's musical reputation.

Today, the musical tradition continues to flourish. Regular concert cycles are performed, ad hoc, in the Sale Mozart at the Accademia Filarmonica and in various churches around the city. Posters are pinned up outside the venue and tickets can be bought at the door. Bologna holds her own on the popular music front as well - national and international rock stars frequently perform in the football stadium outside the city. Tickets can be bought at record shops around the city.

Cultural listings are available from www.comune.bologna.it/cultura.

Music: The Teatro Comunale, Largo Respighi 1 (tel: 051 617 4299 or 199 107 070; website: www.tcbo.it), is the primary venue for opera and classical music in Bologna. Since 1763, the theatre has welcomed some of the world's greatest composers, including Rossini, Verdi and Wagner. The opera season, reckoned to be second only to Milan's La Scala, begins at the end of November and continues through to the end of June. The Teatro Comunale organises prestigious concerts, both in the theatre and in local churches from September to June. Music is also featured at the Accademia Filarmonica, Via Guerrazzi 13 (tel: 051 222 997) and the Basilica di Santa Maria dei Servi, Via dei Bersaglieri 1 (tel: 051 261 710).

Theatre: Bologna has 14 theatres in total, offering a wide selection of drama, from Shakespeare to experimental theatre. All performances are conducted in Italian and often include dialect, so a good understanding of the language or a selfless interpreter is vital. Tickets are available at the respective box offices. The Teatro Duse, Via Cartoleria 42 (tel: 051 213 836; website: www.teatroduse.it), is the most traditional of the playhouses and, from November to May, attracts Bologna's middle class with its popular repertoire of classical drama. The recently renovated Arena del Sole, Via Indipendenza 44 (tel: 051 291 0910; website: www.arenadelsole.it), offers a more diverse programme, ranging from the conservative to the avant-garde. Teatro Dehon, Via Libia 59 (tel: 051 342 934 or 344 772; website: www.teatrodehon.it), is the top spot for comedy. The Teatro Testoni, Via Matteotti 16 (tel: 051 415 3800; website: www.testoniragazzi.it), specialises in shows for children every Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

Dance: The ballet season is organised by the Teatro Comunale, Largo Respighi 1 (tel: 051 617 4299; website: www.comunalebologna.it), while Teatri di Vita, Via di Pratello 90/92 (tel: 051 566 330; website: www.teatridivita.it), holds performances of contemporary dance and often hosts visiting dance companies from overseas.

Film: Bologna is a city of students and, inevitably, cinema is the paramount art form. The Nosadella, Via Nosadella (tel: 051 331 506; website: www.nosadella.it), shows films in their original language on Mondays, and the Adriano, Via San Felice 52 (tel: 051 555 127), shows films in English on weekdays, while Tiffany, Piazza Porta Saragozza 5 (tel: 051 585 253), has a Thursday showing. Also Medusa Cinema, Viale Europa 5 (tel: 051 630 0511; website: www.medusacinema.it) and Lumiere, Via Pietralata 55A (website: www.cinetecadibologna.it) show movies in their original language. Films are shown outdoors at the Arena Puccini, Via Serlio 25, in summer (tel: 0514 193 256).

Literary Notes: 'I know of no other city with such a distinctive character,' said the German writer Herman Hesse, on his visit to Bologna in 1901. Many writers passed through Bologna on their Grand Tour of Italy in the 18th century. Goethe was enchanted by ‘the wide porticoes that meander through most of the town, providing shelter from the sun and rain,' although he wrote that ‘the leaning tower is a disgusting sight.' Stendhal meanwhile eulogised Bologna as ‘a city of spirit.' Today, the city is home to the postmodern and visionary author Umberto Eco, most famous for Il Nome Della Rosa (The Name of the Rose) (1980), which was turned into a Hollywood movie starring Sean Connery and Christian Slater, and Pendolo di Foucault (Foucault's Pendulum) (1988). Victor Crowther's The Oratorio in Bologna 1650-1730 (1999) is a thorough and colourful investigation of this 17th- and 18th-century musical phenomenon in Bologna. In John Grisham's The Broker (2005), Bologna shelters the main character of this legal thriller story.