European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 9, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Spoleti wonderful music in a Beautiful setting by Mary Campbell the associated press Poleto in the Hill country of Central Italy is a place where in two weeks from late june to mid july a traveler can Combine attending big City style performing arts with Rural and Village sightseeing. Cian Carlo Menotti who founded the festival of two worlds in 1958, chose the Well preserved town of Poleto with its narrow streets and medieval atmosphere because it has so Many Heaters within walking distance of each other. It s still Quot his Quot festival he chooses artists often is represented As composer conductor stage director or takes a walk on part. It s always fun to see him walking around responding with a wave to Quot Ciao  his birthday july 7, is always celebrated outdoors late one saturday night in Poleto s biggest Plaza with a free concert of everything from gospel choir to aria and music for dancing. On the festival s final night a fireworks display set off from a Hillside outside the town follows a concert in the Plaza in front of the Cathedral. Last year the festival presented a typical program three operas chamber music by top rank musicians at noon chamber music by Young players from several countries Many of them College students in late afternoon a couple of orchestra concerts the threepenny opera in an exciting modern staging with the original German by a company from Cologne five other plays either in italian or French dance companies from new York Toronto Canada and Monte Carlo an orchestra and choir perform in front of the Duomo in Poleto. The annual festival offers music lovers world class performances in an old world setting. Monaco a wonderful puppet show done by an italian family named Colla that has passed the skill Down for generations. Poleto is 80 Miles North of Rome but one can Fly to any nearby destination that s convenient rent a car and drive there. Last us Canmer i drove with two companions from Hamburg Germany. We spent five Days sightseeing Between Hamburg and Poleto. After 10 Days in Poleto we spent another five Days returning by a different route. Each morning we d buy food for breakfast in an alimentary Small grocery store in Poleto then take off in the car to visit one of the area s Hill towns. We could choose destinations to fit our schedule. One Day we wanted to be Back for a 3 . Marriage of Figaro so we did t go far. A Day when we d decided not to attend anything before Menotti s Goya in the evening we went farther. It s possible to go to Assisi or Florence As Well As to Many Small villages on Day outings. There were Fields of sunflowers vineyards and Olive Groves  country lanes without much traffic places to Park and take walks through Woods not dense with Trees and underbrush but full of wildflowers interesting churches in every Village and town Many with Bells that swing out of their towers to strike the hours More Bright geraniums on porches patios balconies and windowsills than we d seen in the entire previous year. Stops for taking pictures were frequent. One thing we did miss was being Able to communicate better. We should have taken an English italian phrase Book. Once we stopped to photograph a wheat Harvest. Men along the Road tried to Tell us something. It became obvious that they wanted us to wait before snapping away the harvesting machine would soon dump its Load close to where we were standing in a Way that would make a great photo. I wanted to Tell them that my father grew wheat in America s Midwest but we did t know How to say it and pantomime which works Well when shopping did t work Here. Another time we trespassed into somebody s Back Yard to photograph a Church. The Homeowner came out with a smile not a frown carrying a flask of wine and Jelly glasses. It was delicious. Who made it we gestured. He pointed to himself. And where did the grapes come from we managed to gesture again. He pointed. His grapes started growing about a foot from where we stood. As for food visitors soon learn a Rist Orante is the most expensive place to eat a Trattoria cheaper and a pizzeria or cafeteria the latter More Apt to be found in cities cheaper yet. Sometimes we went into an alimentary where they will make you a Pacino Sandwich and had a picnic lunch. About once a week some food shops roast a Small pig and will sell pieces of Porchetta. In restaurants the fungi porcini enormous mushrooms broiled were a wonderful Side dish and so was Pietola some slightly bitter greens similar to spinach cooked with vinegar and Oil. We experienced a few heavy rain showers All in late afternoon All Brief and none serious enough to Dampen our enthusiasm for Poleto s festival or the surrounding Countryside. In Spring and Early summer the festival maintains an office in Rome. For festival brochures which include the schedule and the town s hotels write via Cesare Beccaria 18, 00196 Rome.24 stripes Magazine april 9, 1992 a