- BY ISSIMO
- August 12, 2024
Villa La Colombaia, the majestic former summer home of legendary Italian film director Luchino Visconti that neighbours Mezzatorre Hotel & Thermal Spa, hosts an immersive festival this summer. A tribute to Visconti’s enduring legacy as a creative visionary, the festival brings together leading artists, intellectuals and emerging talent from the worlds of visual art, performance, literature, philosophy and beyond. Already underway, the festival of ‘Villa La Colombaia di Luchino Visconti’ is enlivened by the manor’s breathtaking atmosphere, located just a short walk from our sanctuary at Mezzatorre Hotel – a proud partner of the festival this year.
With its immersive program of exhibitions, performances and discussions, this festival is certainly one we suggest adding to your ‘must-see’ list of cultural experiences, especially if you’re a guest at Mezzatorre Hotel or you’re lucky enough to find yourself on Ischia this summer. Read on to discover more about this year’s program and why Villa La Colombaia endures as a mystical destination of cultural intrigue. Bonus – it’s right in our own backyard!
Culture and creativity at Villa La Colombaia
“Fascinated by the lure of Luchino Visconti’s villa and fascinated by the idea of being able to revive spaces that apparently seemed ‘lost’, the credit for this program once again goes to the memory of the great director and to the importance of the villa, of which we must be careful custodians,” says the festival’s Artistic Director, Annamaria Punzo.
The festival’s innovative program has something to inspire all culture buffs, especially those who want to immerse themselves in the storied villa where Visconti spent his summers in Ischia. This includes an exhibition titled ‘Isola’ by visual artist Chiara Arturo which explores themes of insularity and geography, as well as presentations and talks by leading authors, novelists and intellectuals including Umberto Broccoli, Gianrico Carofiglio and Ciro Pellegrino. Upcoming program highlights also include ‘LVMM: Luchino Visconti’ (28th September), a tribute to beloved Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni, with whom Visconti worked on the films Le Notti Bianche (1957) and Lo Straniero (1967).
With all events free to the public, this festival is a perfect opportunity to experience a diverse cultural program in the intimate setting of Visconti’s villa, which endures as one of Ischia’s most intriguing but lesser-known gems.
The mystique of Visconti’s villa
Located in Forio’s Zaro Forest near the Bay of San Montano, La Colombaia is a modernised medieval castle that Visconti purchased in 1965. More than just a secluded summer manor, however, Visconti realised a vision to transform the villa into a cultural hub; a place of social, creative and intellectual exchange that attracted an esteemed circle of guests and visitors from the worlds of cinema, theatre, visual arts, literature and beyond. Visconti’s vision for Villa La Colombaia clearly inspires the festival’s diverse program, which sees events and exhibitions span the property’s many spaces including showrooms, a gallery space, performing areas, and an outdoor amphitheatre.
Visconti’s cinematic masterpieces including Senso (1954), Il Gattopardo (1963) and Boccaccio ‘70 (1962) still captivate audiences around the world to this day with their sumptuous sets and costumes and rich tapestry of visual references that draw inspiration from the worlds of theatre, music and literature. Any opportunity to explore the director’s immaculate all-white manor on the Zaro promontory feels rather special, and even more so when it hosts special artistic and cultural events.
Today a heritage-protected site managed by the Comune di Forio and Italy’s Cultural Ministry, La Colombaia began a restoration journey a year ago as part of an effort to ensure its preservation so it can be enjoyed by current and future generations, particularly during special events like this summer festival.
A marvel in our own backyard at Mezzatorre Hotel
Supporting ‘Villa La Colombaia di Luchino Visconti’ festival as a partner this year, Mezzatorre Hotel and Thermal Spa shows its commitment to preserving and celebrating Ischia’s cultural heritage, landmark destinations and breathtaking beauty that captivate the world’s attention.
We’re proud to call the stunning Villa La Colombaia our ‘neighbour’ at Mezzatorre Hotel, and this summer festival offers the hotel’s guests an opportunity to experience some of the most immersive and thought-provoking cultural events in the intimacy of our own backyard. It’s a once-a-year opportunity to discover more about this intriguing villa, to be inspired by the director’s life and legacy, and to discover the work of artists and intellectuals working across Italy today.
