With a programme spread across 21 days and hosting 29 events, Verona is renewing its long-awaited summer appointment with the Festival of Beauty. Promoted in collaboration with the City of Verona and its main partner and organiser Cattolica Assicurazioni, this year’s artistic event will have "Soul and Form” as its theme, a reference to the text of the same name written by György Lukács about the forms of relationship between man and the absolute. From 28th May until 16th June, the Roman Theatre, Philharmonic Theatre, the Arena and the Giusti Gardens will all play host to a series of major international artists.

Among these are Emir Kusturica, one of the most original and celebrated directors of European cinema, and Nicola Piovani who, twenty years after his Oscar win for La vita è bella (Life is Beautiful), will stage a concert with film screenings. Italian auteur cinema will be narrated by Matteo Garrone who will discuss how a chronicle or literary story takes on an artistic form, and by Laura Morante will converse with Gianni Canova about her experiences as a muse and performer for great directors. The link between poetry and music will also be revealed thanks to musical performances from Patti Smith and Vinicio Capossela. In terms of literary events, Massimo Recalcati will reflect on the figure of Jesus, and Fabrizio Gifuni on that of Hamlet. Art will be staged by Vittorio Sgarbi, with the national premiere of his show on Raphael.

Emanuela Vecchiet, Cattolica Assicurazioni’s Director of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, stated: “For Cattolica, being a Main Partner in support of this event, which is now in its sixth year, means promoting Verona as an artistic centre of evocative beauty and participating in the creation of a Festival that has been able to renew itself through its appreciation of different forms of artistic expression. The Festival of Beauty is a source of culture and our partnership bears witness to our vocation and interest in promoting culture and making it increasingly accessible".