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Località: Via del Teatro, 16 - Castel Rigone - Perugia

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Teatro Giuseppe Verdi e Belvedere

Teatro Giuseppe Verdi e Belvedere

Home of the Philharmonic Society of the same name. Castel Rigone and music have been one and the same thing almost since the Unification of Italy was proclaimed in 1861. In those years the only music in Castel Rigone was that of the bells. A small group of young people from Castel Rigone began to go to Passignano where there was a music school. Their passion was so great that they went there in the evenings, on foot, after work.

Their enthusiasm was so great that soon other young people became infected and it was decided to organise a band in Castel Rigone. The organist of the Sanctuary became the first teacher and in 1893 the “Giuseppe Verdi” Philharmonic Society was founded.

In 1905 it was decided to build a theatre to provide a suitable environment for practising music and other artistic forms, raising the cultural level of the local people and providing them with healthy entertainment.
Everyone took part in the construction, the two confraternities made an offering, the Marchesi Bichi provided the land, and for 20 years each member voluntarily taxed himself with a lira a month.

At the time, one lira was certainly a burden on family budgets! Since then, the theatre has been the most important secular centre of Castel Rigone life and has reached a universally recognised high artistic level over the years.
During the daily exercises, the whole village resounded with the music of the various instruments. What a sight it was to walk through the village from one sound to another! There were so many band members! Unfortunately, as the number of inhabitants of Castel Rigone decreased, so did the number of musicians, and our band joined that of Passignano.

Just think that between 1961 and 1971 more than a thousand people left Castel Rigone! Now there are only about 400 inhabitants. The theatre continues to host numerous initiatives and every year on 14 August there is a free concert in Piazza Sant’Agostino to which everyone is invited and which ends with hearty refreshments offered by the locals!
When it rains, the show takes place indoors, in the ‘Giuseppe Verdi’ theatre.
*** Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) ***

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