Venice - Italy - page 334

Dramas and musicals performed in Italian are presented at the Teatro Goldoni
(Calle Goldoni, San Marco 4650/B; % 041-2402011; www.teatrostabileveneto.it).
Programs typically include works by Italian playwrights like Luigi Pirandello and,
of course, Venice's own comic genius, Carlo Goldoni. There are also Italian ver-
sions of such international names as Goethe, Neil Simon, and Edward Albee,
ensuring a varied and entertaining lineup; productions are often quite innovative
and visual, so the language issue needn't be a problem. Teatro Malibran (Calle dei
Milion, Cannaregio 5013; % 041-786603) is another important venue, built where
Marco Polo's family once lived and operating since 1678. The Malibran shares the
theatrical program of La Fenice, so check out the main website for details.
Venice's popular Vivaldi performances keep a good number of musicians from
going hungry; you'll frequently come across costume-clad students handing out
brochures for these nightly events, most of which include some allusion to the
Venetian maestro's Four Seasons. Arguably the city's best performing group is
Interpreti Veneziani, a string ensemble that has performed across the globe, and
that has been active in Venice since 1987. Concerts, which center on Vivaldi, but
are not entirely limited to his oeuvre, take place in Chiesa San Vidal (San Marco
2862/B; % 041-2770561; www.interpretiveneziani.com; € 22, or € 17 if you're
under 25; 9pm). One of the many costume-wearing concert groups is I Musici
Veneziani (www.imusiciveneziani.com; % 041-5210294; € 22- € 32, with a € 5
reduction for students under 27), which usually puts on two different kinds of
shows, performing every day during summer (mid-Apr through late Aug). Patrons
can typically expect either Vivaldi's Four Seasons or an evening of “Baroque and
Opera”; performances (9pm) usually take place in the Main Hall of the Scuola
Grande di San Teodoro (Campo San Salvador) near the Ponte di Rialto.
If you prefer your classical music in a spiritual context, you can attend per-
formances by Ensemble Antonio Vivaldi in the San Giacometto church ( % 041-
4266559; € 20; Feb to mid-July at 8:45pm) at the Rialto Bridge.
Finally, the Venice Jazz Quartet gives outdoor concerts from late May until
early July, and indoor concerts in November and December. Performances, which
take place at the Palazzo delle Prigioni, are usually on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday,
and Saturday, starting at 9pm; in winter there are earlier Saturday performances
at 6pm. If you're a fan of Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, Miles Davis, Gershwin,
and the like, these shows are highly recommended. Tickets cost € 20 to € 25; visit
www.collegiumducale.com or call % 041-984252 for details.
DRINKING & RELAXING
Venetians love to gather at their favorite watering holes for a drink. There are sel-
dom any set times for this indulgence; whether it's mid-morning or early evening,
the locals love to savor a glass of wine or a “spritz,” a concoction of Proscecco and
bitters that today is unique to Venice (it was brought here by the Austrians during
the occupation). If you're fond of a relaxing drink, you'll find the city is alive with
possibilities. The variety is much like what you'd expect in any major city: There
are classy wine bars, publike student hangouts, and extremely posh hotel and
restaurant bars where prices are so outlandish I won't bother to mention them.
I'll start by discussing a few of the smartish but affordable wine bars, where
you can usually choose from a selection of cicchetti (hors d'ouevres) to quell any
pangs of hunger that may accompany your thirst. After wandering through the