Eleven Years of Holding Our Breath

La Nazione

(PISA, Italia, Sunday 27 May 2001) by Valeria Caldelli PISA. Eleven years of holding our breath. It is time for a well deserved rest. For all. First of all for the city that has lived in the anxiety of not seeing the monument and the piazza in its ancient splendor. Then for the committee, that not only had to overcome technical difficulty, not simple, but also the bureaucratic "oversights" that often slowed down and even stopped the work. And finally the world comunity that followed with interest and apprehension the interventions to which the bell tower of Bonanno has been subjected. Counsels, ideas and plans have continued to arrive from the nearer and more distant Countries, a testimony of the affection that the whole world pours out for this monument. Now, finally, the Tower will return to take its place among the wonders of art. Gone are the ugly ingots of lead, the scaffolding, the cables of steel that embraced it and crossed the piazza of the Cathedral. All returns to normal. Only some structures in the workyard will stay up until November to complete the interventions. After it will be as if we have awoken after an ugly dream, with the healthy Tower, fit and fascinating as before. Also if, in fact, it now leans forty centimeters less, nobody will notice it and everything will seem as before. The scheduled celebrations for June could not be called complete because the door of the Tower still remains closed, nevertheless, the official redelivery of the keys to the monument to the president of the Work of the Primaziale will take place. Only at the end of the year (perhaps November) will tourists be able to again climb the ancient stairs, and if very probably the loggia, lacking protection,won't be accessible, the panorama will be admired only from bell cell. The thrill to scramble up on the top of the Tower will cost 25,000 lire and won't have allowed unaccompanied. It will be necessary, in fact, to book the access in advance because the number of visitors will be limited, with the accompaniment of a guide, and a large demand is anticipated. The bookings, however, will not be opened at least until next autumn.

(PISA, Italia, Sunday 27 May 2001) It is "Pisan June" by Guglielmo Vezzosi PISA. The "Pisan June" is in the air and not only from the meteorological point of view. But the presentation this year, whose program is now detailed, will have more added value, represented by the celebrations for redeliver of the keys of the Leaning Tower to the Work of the Primaziale by part of the international scientific committee. After eleven years of work the famous bell tower is "recovered" and it will be symbolically returned to the whole world next 17 June, though the tourist visits will need to wait until next November. But we are told of the concert of Andrea Bocelli, that will represent the highlight of the celebrations for the Tower. Two days in grand style, right at the peak of the "June". Saturday 16.00 to 22.00 (at the auditorium of the Work of the Primaziale) the president of the scientific committee, Michele Jamiolkowski will present the results of the work officially returned by the committee. At 12.30 standing breakfast with guests and authorities in the loggia of the adjoining Museum of the Work. At 15.00 (3:00 PM) presentation of the winners of the contest sponsored by the Office of Public Works among the pupils of the elementary and middle schools on the theme "The Tower of Pisa". At 16.30 (4:30 PM) in Piazza dei Miracoli synbolic redelivery of the key of the Tower to the president of the Work, Pierfrancesco Pacinini, with historical procession and exhibition of the standard bearers and of the Police Band. Saturday will end with the show of the Luminara and the Tower completely illuminated. The following day, Sunday 17 June, the festival of St. Ranieri, traditional appointment with the regata of the districts, that will compete in the waters of the Arno beginning at 19.00 (7:00 PM). At 21.30 (9:30 PM) is the program of the event-show, continuing the ceremonies for the "recovery" of the Tower. A grand concert organized by the Foundation Harp with the participation of the maestro Andrea Bocelli, who is honorary president of the Foundation. "Harp", born out of an initiative by professor Franco Mosca, manager of the division of General Surgery and Transplantations at the University, is a non-profit association organized to support medical search. The special plan for donations, permitted through the assisatnce of the concert, will be put on sale for days through the Bos\x Office circuit (details are in the process of definition). The event is very much anticipated, so much so that applications are already being recorded from all over Europe, and from America, Australia and even from Sri Lanka in a generous competition of support in the name of solidarity. This year Bocelli will perform, other than the concert at Pisa, only at London and Dublin in Europe. With him will be an extraordinary artistic cast with performers such as Cecilia Gasdia, Manuela Custer and Max Fichera and with the participation of the Choir of the Academy of SantaCecilia and the accompaniment of the Orchestra "A.Toscanini" of Parma directed by Maestro Marcello Rota.