A cultural mosaic in Ravenna

Wednesday June 26, a return to Ravenna

When I was a little kid, my mom had a coffee table book about the mosaics of Ravenna. It was a life dream fulfilled for me to come here last year with the TomorrowMen (and celebrate Tony’s b’day, too). Ravenna is not on the typical tourist path, so I thought I was lucky to come here once. And here I am again, and getting to share this beautiful town with a new crew.

As soon as we checked into the hotel, we had an augmented salad lunch at the Coop store, then hit the cobblestones. Midweek, this town is kind of empty, we have the place to ourselves wherever we go. First stop is the immense Basilica de St. Vitale, with the vibrant mosaics from the fifth century. I think Jonathan and Abraham’s mind’s are a little blown, it’s truly overwhelming. For Karen and I, it’s cool to pick up on some details we missed the first time, like in the mosaic showing the benefactor of the basilica- if you notice, he is stepping on the toes of the architects and builders depicted next to him, this show’s his dominance. And the difference in the way that bodies are depicted in the Roman and Byzantine mosaics- Roman are stiff and only a frontal view, Byzantine bodies are natural and three dimensional. Oh, I could go on! If you ever have the chance to go to Italy, don’t miss 24 hours in Ravenna.

We split off from the boys and wander around the downtown area, checking menus.

At 7, we decided on Taverna Boaria, somewhat off the central square. Karen and I shared plates of wild boar with spinach gnocchi, grilled veggies and a grapefruit fennel salad with olives. When the waitress brought out our coffees she said, "I thought only German tourists ordered cappuccinos after dinner." Well Italy, if your stop making the cappuccinos so delicious, then we’ll stop ordering them.

Ravenna is the kind of town that has a summer cultural festival, with something going on every night at different locations. Unfortunately, we missed last week’s Chitarre Elettriche with 5 nights of exploration into different styles using the electric guitar, coinciding with a huge display of Fender Guitars. 

This night’s choice is the Quarteto Klimt playing under the stars in the courtyard of the university library. After our boaring dinner, we walked to the west side of town where the university is and bought tickets. We had 45 minutes to kill so we had a good walk around this neighborhood, which is devoid of tourist junk, but lively and with plenty of gelato houses to choose from. (I had salted caramel).

At 9 the gates opened and the crowd entered the big courtyard of the library. A square stage is set, the piano tuner is still making adjustments, and we park in the third row. Jono has found us.

The dramatic lighting dims and the quartet enters, piano, violin, viola and cello. They play four pieces-- two modern, and two less challenging classical pieces. Some Schubert, Mahler, Schumann and one other that escapes me. It’s a perfect setting and the sound is wonderful. During one of the less harmonious parts, a couple helicopters fly low over the library, and I wonder if the rhythmic thumping is part of the score. No flame eating hula girl stripper comes out during their performance! After a standing ovation, they play an encore, no, not Link Wray’s "Rumble," but a little Dvorjak to send us home.

Cultcha!!!!