Parma was slated to take center-stage this year as the Italian Capital of Culture yet, like so many other aspects of life, the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic threw a wrench in those plans. As a result, the Italian government announced last week that it will extend Parma's designation as the Italian Capital of Culture through 2021. The idea of Time will remain the theme of a program, which will also speak to the historical period we are currently living through.
Until then, the Municipal Theatre of Regio Parma is offering an immersive 360-degree look at the annual Verdi Festival. Through audio and video recording techniques adopted by the University of Parma, at-home viewers can feel like they are sitting right in the center of the stage. In each video, viewers can simply move their cursor to change their point of view. Tip: This technology is available for past performances of Stifellio, Aida, I Masnadieri and more.
Federico Pizzarotti, mayor of Parma, said in a statement, "Parma Italian Capital of Culture 2021 represents a fair and far-sighted decision: The city and its people have worked hard to create a year of culture that lives up to the expectations of the country. We had a great desire to demonstrate all of Parma's potential and we still have it: in 2021 we will return even stronger. Culture will continue to beat time and be a metronome of our growth."
In an article by Italy’s The Local, it said Parma made for a great Capital of Culture because it’s a food heaven, it has opera in its soul, there’s art everywhere, it’s architecture doesn’t stand still and its museums innovate.
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