The celebrated festival returns to bring a sparkle to Lake Iseo’s shores, offering the possibility of enjoying a weekend of fine music and wine
From 30 May to 7 September, Lake Iseo will once again be the picturesque stage for a musical event held by the Tadini Academy of Lovere, now in its seventh edition: the “Musical Waves” Festival. Beneath Claudio Piastra’s artistic direction, the established talents and young promises of the international music scene will perform in more than fifty concerts of classical, opera, symphonic, chamber and ancient music. The events – mostly free of charge – will be held as usual in fascinating artistic and natural settings, inviting the general public to take this pleasant opportunity to explore the surrounding area, also from a perspective of food and wine.
The opening events will be held on 30 and 31 May, in the courtyard of the Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts of the University of Brescia and at the Carrara Academy in Bergamo respectively, and three young musicians from the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin will be the protagonists. The official inauguration will take place instead on Saturday 1 June in the parish churchyard of Sant’Andrea in Iseo, the lake’s main town and one of the nineteen municipalities of Franciacorta, the land that baptised the renowned classic method.
The Festival will therefore be a favourable opportunity for spending a relaxing and enjoyable weekend, where music is simply the crowning glory. It is impossible to travel through the Brescia DOCG’s homeland without visiting at least one of the many wineries, each of which defines the bounty of a region that prides itself on multiple expressions. Listening to the story behind and inside a glass told by the producers is a unique opportunity become more aware of the wine you are drinking, while enjoying an engaging sensory experience.
Only ten minutes from the town of Iseo stands Corte Franca, a scattered municipality created in the 1920s by merging the villages of Borgonato, Colombaro, Nigoline and Timoline. In addition to the Torbiere del Sebino (Lake Iseo peat bogs) – a nature reserve of international renown – this land is home to numerous vineyards, often family-run. An example of this is the Bosio winery – run by Cesare and Laura Bosio – which covers an area of around twenty hectares under vines. Passion for the land and wine led the brother and sister team to cultivate the ambitious business project launched in 1998 with the aim of further raising the quality of the end product. The label B.C. 2011 is emblematic, as it represents the evolution of the Boschedòr cuvée: a ‘‘Boschedòr Continua” that calls for ripening on the lees for one hundred and twenty months, producing delightful spicy notes.
A few kilometres away, once more in the Corte Franca area, we find the Barboglio De Gaioncelli winery: the family’s origins date back to the late 13th century, an era in which the family progenitor, Alghisio de Alghisi – a native of Val Seriana – settled in the Brescia area to invest the profits of a life in the military. The winemaking venture, which began in 1875, continues to be passed down from generation to generation, and is tangibly expressed in the winery located in the premises of Palazzo Barboglio De Gaioncelli. The proposed visit with a tasting of the different types of Franciacorta, paired with local cured meats and cheeses, is a must.
An aperitif in the winery can only be the prelude of a fine meal, naturally lakeside. In Clusane, one of Iseo’s hamlets, we find the Da Nadia restaurant which invites locals and tourists to taste the creations of Nadia Vincenzi, who has been cooking between the provinces of Bergamo and Brescia for thirty years, combining the hospitality of Romagna – her homeland – with the ingredients of Molise, the region where she grew up.
Holidaymakers who prefer the Bergamo side of Lake Iseo may opt for the Miranda Hotel & Restaurant instead. Hotel Ristorante Miranda. The magnificent view of Monte Isola accompanies the dishes created by Pasquale Spelgatti – the establishment’s historic chef – who proposes classic meat and fish dishes, often enlivened by a dash of creative flair.
B&B Casita Mia, just far enough away from the centre of Clusane to offer total relaxation, is the ideal place to explore Franciacorta without straying too far from the Festival locations. The three themed rooms – inspired by the happy moments of the two young managers – feature a balcony with a lake view that can be enjoyed in the summer months, perhaps after a nice concert accompanied by a glass of sparkling wine.
responsibly