On Sunday 10 April (from 10am to midnight – free entry – full programme on the Facebook page @castellovolantecoriglianodotranto), the Castello Volante in Corigliano d’Otranto continues its journey through the arts, flavours, music and cultures. In the morning, there will be a food and farm produce market (info and stall bookings: 3331803375) and guided tours of the Borgo Volante (bookings: 3792802903). In the afternoon, there will be a chess tournament, and from 7 pm, a musical aperitif with music selected by Max Nocco. At lunch and dinner (info and bookings: 3343429268 – nuvole@ilcastellovolante.it), “Nuvole – Food, Stories, Cultures” will also be open on the terraces. The Castello’s Officina del gusto e degli spiriti will have a fresh new look and an all-new menu to savour. The gastronomic culture of Salento, blending land and sea, meets that of the peoples who have passed through the region, giving rise to original flavours to be enjoyed amongst the clouds. In April, to celebrate the Castello’s Spring together, the ancient manor will be open only on Saturday evenings and all day on Sundays. But there will also be a number of special events.
On Saturday 16 April (9.30 pm – admission €7 – advance tickets available from Dice.Fm), Luigi, Lovain, Cuppone and Dimaggio will take centre stage in the final of ‘SEI d’autore’. The competition for young singer-songwriters under 30 was created with the aim of promoting the discovery of new talent; contestants have been competing throughout the winter to win a cash prize, the chance to perform at the 16th edition of the SEI Festival, the opportunity to record a track at Funkeria Records, or support from a professional press office for the launch of a single. The evening’s special guest was the young singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Marco Castello (who previously performed alongside Erlend Øye of Kings of Convenience in the La Comitive project), offering an irresistible mix of pop, funk, jazz and blues, featuring cheeky, catchy melodies with a driving groove that makes you tap your foot, alongside intimate, delicate songs capable of transporting you elsewhere. In February, *Contenta Tu* was released on 42 Records in Italy and Bubbles Records across the rest of Europe. This eagerly awaited debut album skilfully brings together a diverse range of songs, each woven with intricate textures where drums, guitars, wind instruments, keyboards and synths create ever-changing harmonic arrangements, giving rise to a sound that is fresh and light, elegant yet raw.
On Monday 18 April (free entry until 4 pm – entry €5 thereafter), don’t miss El Pasquettone, organised by Tobia Lamare, which will bring the whole manor to life with a picnic in the moat, face painting, medieval games organised by Ala, food from Nuvole, DJ sets (DJ Brownies, DJ War, Gopher, Frank Lucignolo, Kika DJ, Nicholine DJ, Pupa, Sandro Crash, Sorge, Sonic The Tonic, Tobia Lamare) and live performances (Bravata, Mr Gumbo The Brain Police, Psycho Sun).
Saturday 23 April (9.30 pm – admission €10 + booking fee – advance tickets available via Dice.Fm) sees Laila Al Habash take to the stage. Born in 1998, of Roman and Palestinian descent, she is one of the most promising artists on the Italian music scene. Recently featured on Spotify’s ‘Radar Italia’ programme for emerging talent, she is forging a new kind of pop with her music and personality. Witty, charismatic, candid and emotional, in her songs – characterised by a fluid sound – she blends her own distinctive style with melodies and lyrics that draw on different worlds and genres. In November 2021, she released “Mystic Motel” on Undamento, her first official album produced by Niccolò Contessa and Stabber. The album also features a collaboration with Coez on the track “Sbronza”.
The Castello Volante project – winner of the Apulia Region’s call for proposals to adapt tourist attractions to host live entertainment events – has been managed since 2017 by Multiservice Eco, Big Sur and Coolclub in collaboration with the Municipality of Corigliano d’Otranto. Over the summer, the Castello will host the music of Sei Festival, the screenings and exhibitions of Cinema del reale, and the talks and debates of Io non l’ho interrotta – all original productions by the organisations driving this cultural project. There will also be plenty of other events featuring art, dance, food, literature, new trades and crafts. The Castello Volante is, in fact, a vast creative hub where works and events are born out of encounters, through a process of hybridisation and ‘creative exchanges’. The Castello and its village thus become places to experience, stories to discover and unravelling, architectural and symbolic structures with which to forge an emotional and interactive connection, and to which to leave a mark of one’s visit. Finally, the InfoPoint will offer a catalogue of cultural experiences, guided tours and cycle tours within and around the castle walls, whilst its bookshop will feature a selection of publications, handicrafts and design pieces made in Puglia.
Info
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