A lot has been said about the village of Ravello on the Amalfi Coast and all that you can enjoy during your stay there. Its amazing culture, historical heritage protected by UNESCO, beaches, bars, restaurants, amazing luxury villas that you can stay in in order to get the full experience of Ravello and the Amalfi Coast Villa rental , the fantastic and magical nature, the romantic and colorful narrow streets filled with small shops, but the music lovers of all kinds will enjoy Ravello more than other.
The reason for that is the Ravello Music Festival. That is a special kind of experience that you will remember for long after your visit to Ravello. So, where ever you stay at the Amalfi Coast, be sure to visit Ravello and the Ravello Music Festival. You can get there by taxi, or bus, or you can rent a car, but considering the streets that take you along the Amalfi Coast that advice is only for more experienced drivers.
The town Ravello is beautiful itself, offering lots to his visitors, but this yearly series of concerts is a must see if you appreciate classical music. The most famous concert at this festival is the unique Sunrise Concert, that as the name suggests happens on sunrise. The concert is due in August each year. The stage specially setup for this concert is breathtaking since it is set up to look like it is between the sea and sky, so the viewers will have a stunning view of the sea and sunrise behind the musicians, besides listening to beautiful sound of classical music played by excellent musical orchestra.
For me this was the one thing that will stick with me as long as I live. It’s not just the music at this festival, but generally the mood of the people, smiling faces and the whole atmosphere that surrounds these concerts, especially the Sunrise Concert, which is played during the sunrise. So, as you listen to the beautiful classical music you look at the magical event of the sun rising behind the musicians above the Mediterranean Sea. It is a magical and unique experience.
This concert is played at the terrace that is 340 meters above the Golf of Salerno in one of Luxury Villa rentals Amalfi coast . Imagine the view. The concert begins when it’s still dark and continues as the sun rises. So, to visit the concert, you should be an early riser. If you are not, too bad, but if it is not early for the musicians, it should be too early for you.
The Ravello Music Festival, which some call Wagner Festival, started in 1953 and it is dedicated to the visit of one of the worlds’ most famous composers Richard Wagner to Ravello in 1880. It is also one of the biggest and oldest music festivals in Italy. In the 50s Ravello was still not a famous tourist destination, so tourism needed to be boosted. Now, it is a completely different story.
As he stayed in Naples, Wagner decided to take a trip to the Amalfi Coast. He stayed in Ravello for an afternoon. He stayed in the famous Villa Rufolo. The gardens of Villa Rufolo inspired him for his famous piece Parsifal. He began composing the opera Parsifal almost two decades before he came to the Amalfi coast, but the second act of Parsifal opera was not finished. After he had the joy of visiting Villa Rufolo he decided to set the second act of his opera in a garden that was just like the garden of Villa Rufolo.
Villa Rufolo is a wonder of architecture dating back to the 13th century. Its garden has amazed and inspired artists for centuries. It is full of amazing decorations and art that you should not miss if you visit Ravello. The view from its gardens on Ravello and the Mediterranean Sea are just breath taking. This is why it was that the concerts are held at this place. Combinations of this environment and excellent music pled by amazing musicians is just magical.
The series of concerts starts in early April and ends some time in November, so the concerts are there all through the season. Whenever you go, a magical concert as a treat for the lovers of great tones is there.
Originally, the festival was supposed to be a festival of Wagners music, but with time it grew into a two months festival with Wagners music and music of other famous composers, Jazz, dances, art shows, exhibitions of photographs and other types of art. It is, also, a chance to meet and chat with famous artists from all over the world. Many of these artists are world famous, so if you are there during the festival do not miss to meet the artists. They are more than happy to share your company.
The fame and the musical skill of the performers that performed this festival is just stunning, the orchestra, the solo performers, bands, just fantastic. Some of the orchestra and performers that played at the festival are: Staatskapelle of Dresden, Münchner Philharmoniker, Royal Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, jazz performs such as Bollani, Caine, Hancock, Marsalis or opera singers Behrens, Christoff, Domingo, Jerusalem, Meier, Raimondi, Salminen and Urmana.
What I can promise is that the music lovers will surely have the time of their lives while visiting Ravello and the Ravello Music Festival. It is a unique experience that not many places in the world offer, if any. I am definitely coming back.
