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Entertaiment
in Rome
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Rome's
beauty is accessible both day and night and the same is to
be said for its vast range of entertainment - theatre,
cinema, opera, discos; the list is (almost) endless.
The theatrical season lasts from October to May and it can
often continue through the summer months. Most theatres
offer a range of plays and productions, but there are a
couple of very special exceptions: the Teatro Vittoria, is a
comedy paradise, and the Sistina, is the undisputed home of
musicals. There are numerous private, experimental and
avant-garde theatres often hosting young artists and
offering stimulating, thought-provoking works. The
Politecnico focuses on contemporary dramatic works and the
Abraxa Teatro, is home to an innovative company, who seek to
express themselves and their ideas by using their bodies
rather than speech. If your tastes are a little more
traditional, historic theatres such as Teatro Argentina,
Valle and the Nazionale offer high quality performances by
famous actors and theatre companies. The Teatro della Cometa
and the Teatro Flaiano offer light comedies.
The cinemas in Rome have greatly improved over the past few
years. Many new multiplexes have been built and other
cinemas have been completely restored. The cinema scene in
Rome today is characterized by a fair amount of small,
independent cinemas and many large, modern multi-screen
cinemas; these multi-screen cinemas are mainly run by two
distribution groups (Finivest and Cecchi Gori), and screen
almost exclusively commercial films. Some of the better
known independent cinemas such as the Greenwich, the
Intrastevere, the Pasquino and the Labirinto have recently
united to form Circuito Cinema, a society interested
in promoting innovative films, created in an attempt to
confront the supremacy of the large distribution companies.
Summer is definitely the most romantic time to enjoy a film.
Many outdoor cinemas are set up from July to September, and
show popular re-releases. The most famous outdoor cinema is
Cineporto, near the Olympic Stadium, but the Massenzio is
also well-liked; it shows three films every evening all
linked by a common theme, be it genre, author, subject, or
country of origin.
Live music is popular in Rome. There are an increasing
number of places offering live music from Italy, America,
England, Africa and South America. The most successful
venues are concentrated in certain areas such as the
Testaccio quarter, in places like Akab, and Radio Londra.
The Trastevere quarter is the home of the historic Big Mama.
The Alexanderplatz and Berimbau in Trionfale are also
recommended.
Classical music lovers are also catered for, the city has a
varied concert season; there is chamber music at the
Accademia di Santa Cecilia and the Gonfalone organizes
delightful baroque music concerts. The symphony season'
at the Teatro dell'Opera takes place in Terme di Caracalla
during the summer, but the Associazione Il Tempietto offers
concerts throughout the year. The elegantly furnished,
imposing Teatro dell'Opera, is the only theatre in Rome,
which offers an operatic season of any importance and in
summer, opera is performed outdoors in the enchanting Terme
di Caracalla or the Piazza di Siena.
Discos are very popular amongst the glamorous Romans; the
elegant, formal crowd (politicians, actors and VIPs) like to
go to 80s style clubs such as Jackie O' and Alibi. The
more serious' clubbers frequent the Locale, which hosts
live, new-wave, Roman bands, Frontiera plays trendy music
and the no-holds barred Muccassassina night is at the
Alpheus club. During the summer months, many discos relocate
to the beaches of Fregene and Ostia, and where they go, the
people follow!
Discos aren't the only places that are popular at the
weekend; pubs, beer gardens, restaurants and bars all teem
with life. Many of these locali' perform more than one
function e.g. a cocktail bar will sell beer, or allow you to
surf the Internet, before you hit the dance floor. Many caf?
stay open until late. The most popular and lively caf? are
in the splendid Trastevere district, in Via Veneto, and
Piazza Navona (e.g. Bar del Fico and Bar della Pace). Wine
bars tend to be laid-back, informal and welcoming. These are
great places to have a snack while sipping some excellent
wine: try the Trimani Il Wine Bar, at the Cul de Sac in
Piazza Navona or Cavour 313. Pubs and beer gardens tend to
have a British theme, they serve many different beers, and
true to the good old Brit' style, you can enjoy a game
of darts with your pint! Places to be seen' in include
the Four Green Fields, Fiddler's Elbow, and the Victoria
House
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