SPOLETO 1960. IL TERZO FESTIVAL DEI DUE MONDI

"In the early 1960s," wrote Giovanni Toscano and Sandro Morichelli, "the Festival was already an established reality. Not that there was a lack of difficulties, especially economic ones, but the common will to move forward was manifested. In the City Council one evening, the doors were ideally closed: from here we don't leave, until to we find the money for the Festival. Spoleto was becoming an important point of reference for Italian and international culture and there was no turning back."

At the third Festival dei Due Mondi, the longest in the history of the event (June 8-July 10, 1960), the final concert in the Piazza del Duomo, will be among those performances that for the first time Rai will decide to broadcast live, along with Hans Werner Henze'sopera Il Principe di Homburg from the Teatro Nuovo. Also chosen by the same Rai, for recorded TV footage, were theopera inaugural_ La Bohème_, broadcast "on the national program at at 21.05 on June 9" and the "concerts from chamber given at Caio Melisso," also known as aperitif concerts and then "Midday Concerts," considered the main innovation of that year. In order to adjust its image and services, the city put all its efforts and to realize the third edition of the Festival, the Spoleto City Council unanimously resolved a contribution of 2,000,000 liras. Similarly, the role of the local Azienda Autonoma di Cura, Soggiorno e Turismo (Autonomous Board of Care, Stay and Tourism) is configured at this stage as decisive and is widely recognized in the local press. With Spoleto residents to Rome is then addressed, for the first time, the opportunity to establish an association of "Friends of the Festival," which will later be named "Friends of Spoleto."

On the occasion of the 62nd edition of the Festival, continuing a project started three years ago, through a conference, a book, and an exhibition, extraordinary moments of the city's history are retraced in order to reread the origins of the event, understand its legacy in the present, and trace future scenarios.

exhibition entrance hours:

Monday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Wednesday and friday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.