Jan. 8 – 2015 is a special year for La Casa degli Italiani (the Italian House) of Barcelona, as it celebrates 150 years of activity. One of the most anticipated events is “One summer evening at the Liceu!” that will take place at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, also known as El Liceu – the oldest and most prestigious active theater of Barcelona and one of the most important opera houses in the world. The opera house is booked for July 9, when “La Traviata” will go on stage. One of the most popular and well-known in the history of Italian opera, “La Traviata” reflects the historical, cultural and social environment in which the Italian House was founded. Giuseppe Verdi also was the undisputed protagonist of the mid-1850s and fellow Italian artists at the Teatro del Liceu also gave a fundamental contribution to the foundation of La Casa degli Italiani. “One summer evening at the Liceu” offers a guided tour of the theater, the staging of “La Traviata” and then a visit to the memorable “Saló dels Miralls” (Hall of Mirrors), where there will be a cocktail with Leo Nucci, an award-winning Italian baritone performing in “La Traviata.” The Hall of Mirrors was restored to its former glory after a painstaking restoration that took place only a few years ago. It is now possible to admire the paintings by the Catalan Ramon Casas, one of the fathers of modernism. (Red)
