Hotelrome.net Blog : A guide to news and events in Rome

Our blogger: Stefano

“Dissonanze” is a festival that proposes live music and shows of electronic and alternative. It has become and important manifestation dedicated to the arts and the electronic and digital music in various areas in which they occur: concerts, dj and laptop, multimedia installations, performances and vj projections.

This year the Festival will take place on 8 and 9 May 2009 and for the occasion, the Palazzo dei Congressi and Ara Pacis in Rome will light up with famous names of electronic music as A Critical Mass, Bat For Lashes, Buraka Som system, Kenny Larkin, our beloved Daedelus and many others.
This Festival was born in 2000, initially as a show-case, a selection of little-known international “indie” artists . Today, it has become an important reference point for fans of the genre.

So the date to remember are 8 and 9 may 2009, at the Ara Pacis and the Palazzo dei Congressi, and you’ll see artist like: Costa vs Ad Bourke, The Gaslamp Killer vs Daddy Kev, Flying Lotus feat. Samiyam, Daedelus Visuals Clichevideo, Mokadelic, Telepathe, Atom, Byetone, Signal and others.

To enjoy Rome and all the incredible activities it has to offer, come to Hotel Des Artistes or Yes Hotel, where we’ll be glad to guide you to this and many other events taking place in the city.

Our Blogger: Wanda

The nativity is the traditional symbol of the Christmas story all around the world – the peaceful figure of baby Jesus being worshipped by his mum, would be-dad and various other worshippers as depicted in the famous bible story. But in Rome this December, it will be a little bit more than just that.

For the first time, the nativities from several famous churches will face off against one another in a Christmassy competition.

The idea comes from the mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, who has infact made the competition into a street delight for tourists and Romans alike.

For example, the nativity which traditionally lies in St Peter’s square, and is well known all around the world for its beauty, will instead be located in Campidoglio square in front of the Capitolini Museums. This coincides with a nativity located in front of the Colosseum. To go and admire them both however, you must cross a specific street which twines them together.

Meanwhile, if you wish to see one of the most ancient nativities in the world, you can visit the Sistine Chapel of Saint Maria Maggiore Church in Rome. It was made in 1289 from albaster and given to the church as a gift.

So while coming to see these beautiful Christmas wonders,

why not check into Hotel Des Artistes, the ideal place to relax and enjoy the festive season.

The nativity: Who’s who at the most famous birth of all time?

Baby Jesus: He sits in the manger from Christmas Day

Mary: His mother who is found close by, admiring him

St Joseph: The husband of Mary (but obviously not the biological father of Jesus )dressed in shepherd’s clothes, he is normally situated to the opposite side of mary near the cot.

The Shepherds: Some of them carrying lambs, are designated all around the nativity, playing music or singing.

The Three Kings: Gaspare, Melchiorre and Baldassarre, who followed a star to Jesus’s crib. They are not tradionally placed in the manger until the Epiphany – January 6^th. This is in acknowledgement, historically, that they arrived much later on.

From May 23rd to June 08th the CinaviCina Festival is taking place in one of the  most fascinating city: Rome and the exhibits of art and culture and traditional performances of the world’s most populous country will be even hosted in one of the Renzo Piano ‘s pearl of architecture, the Auditorium Parco della Musica.

AUDITORIUM

The Auditorium’s construction began in September 1995. At north of Parioli District and at East from Flaminio District and just at south from the Olympic Village, the location was accurately chosen to foster a new dignity in this area. This intent is also underlined by the concept that this building wants to represent as both source of attraction and as source for everyday local use.

The Auditorium has three Music Halls named after Santa Cecilia, Petrassi and Sinopoli, which are immersed in a large park with trees with an impressive theatrical cavea, facing the Olympic Village.

THE IDEA

The CinaviCina Festival is jointly produced by the Fondazione Musica for Rome and the Centre of International Cultural Exchange, with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China. The Fondazione Musica worked on this project for two years, trying to take the most of the Chinese culture, individuating the most preminent rapresentatives in all the creative fields: from traditional songs and dances to the theatre and the cinema, to cuisine, massage and kung fu. The Festival ‘s name takes origin from the movie of the Italian director Marco Bellocchio entitled “La Cina è vicina” (China is close), screened at the Venice Festival of the Cinema in 1967. Never as before China is felt “close” to Europeans like today, not only as a commercial partner and/or opponent as in first instance it has been for decades but even as a cultural identity with its own history and costumes.  This Festival wants to enlarge the cultural vision of China in Europe and help the intercultural exchange. Dialogue and knowledge can only strengthen the al comprehension of two civilisations that are so distant in many different ways. Highly appreciated by the Chinese Embassy in Italy, Sun Yuxi, who highlighted the importance for the relation among Italy and China.

PERFORMANCES

The Festival covers different kind of exhibitions and displays. We will be fascinated from the beginning and get to the mood with the Dongguan Shipai Lion Dancing Troupe, which opens the event and “Sticks” is the dance show of the Guandong Modern Dance Company. with Kung Fu will be the main key in the spectacle of the Gongfu MonkGroup of the Shoalin Temple (June 1^st and 2^nd), the Changqing Acrobatic Troupe will stun viewers with amazing acrobatic routines (May 28^th – 29^th). About music we will pass through the Mongolia Chorus accompanied by local instruments thanks to the Mongolia Youth Chorus and the Butterfly girls Band (June 07^th and 8^th) until the modern music exhibitions of the eminent composer Guo Wenjing (May 23^rd – 24^th).

If you plan to visit Italy during this period, and maybe are looking forward into opening an enterprise with Chinese counterparts, then do not hesitate to participate in this unforgettable initiative. Book you stay in one of the stylish hotels in Rome-YES HOTEL, from which you will easily reach Auditorium.

And, yes, China is near, China is here, in Rome.

As the past years the cinema festival in Rome is on from 18th to 27th october 2007 and is a great success.

The Auditorium is in easy reach from your Rome central hotel and a shuttle bus (”linea cinema” ) runs from central Rome.

What’s on ?

The Rome Film Festival features the “Premiere” where major productions take place such as “The Prestige” by Christopher Nolan and “The Hoax” by Lasse Hallstrom and with worldwide acclaimed star Richard Gere.

Many stars attended this prestigious event, and to name a few :
Monica Bellucci, presently blonde, Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Leonardo di Caprio and Tom Cruise.

Also part of the Festival is the “Cinema 2007″ which features international and italian movie premieres, some of which actually participating in the actual Rome Festival competition.

The “Extra” section proposes new high tech audiovisual themes such as digital animation and new tv programs.

And finally “Alice in the City” is a selection of different programs dedicated to the younger public, and also produced by young professionals.

If you wish to see more about last year cinema festival in Rome, see here !

After an exciting day at the Rome Festival where you will probably have met many famous people , you will enjoy getting back to your cosy and quiet Rome hotel right in the centre of Rome : Take advantage of our My Hotel’s special offers.

 

The hey days of Rome’s cinema greatness may have ended more than 30 years ago but Italians still like their cinema and film festivals. The Romans especially have a fondness for cinema and they do also appreciate foreign films (as long as they are all dubbed).

 

 

 

At the moment on Tiberina Island a film festival is being held until the 1st weekend in September. The legend of the island says it was formed when the evil Etruscan king, Tarquinas Superbus, was thrown into the river after he was killed and all the sediment and sand accumulated around his body and formed the island mass. Today there is a hospital located on the island, built on the remains of an old temple. There are 2 bridges which connect the island to the mainland. One of them is the oldest bridge in Rome which was built around 62 BC.

 

The island is a perfect place to go because it is still near the centre and also the Trastevere quarter.  So you can always go for a bite to eat before or after the film. The film festival isn’t the only place to go if you want to relaxe and see a movie. There are a few cinemas which have screens which show films in English. One is very near the hotel, Warner Village Moderno, in Piazza della Republica. It usually costs around 5 euros for a ticket, which isn’t too bad. The other one, Metropolitan, is on Via del Corso closest to Piazza del Popolo. They are usually open from around 6 or 7 in the evening. They are also especially nice to go to now because they are air conditioned.