On show at Palazzo Piccolomini in Pienza is the exhibition “WHAT IS A YOUTH? Romeo e Giulietta di Franco Zeffirelli”. On the 50th anniversary of this famous movie, for which the Tuscan film director received an Academy Award nomination, the town, where he directed it in 1968, has decided to celebrate this masterpiece of Italian cinematography.
It was precisely in Palazzo Piccolomini that the scene of Romeo and Juliet’s first meeting at a Capulet masked ball was filmed. Exactly during this scene, the song being played is “What is a Youth?” sung by Glen Weston with lyrics by Eugene Walter. The Italian version of this song was written by actress Elsa Morante and is called “Ai Giochi Addio” (A farewell to games) and has been performed by opera singers such as Luciano Pavarotti and Natasha Marsh.
In addition to celebrating the anniversary of the film’s release, the exhibition also intends to focus on Renaissance customs, as is evident from Zeffirelli’s cinematic fiction. It was for this reason the director chose Palazzo Piccolomini, for its Renaissance authenticity.
The Zeffirelli Foundation has donated the scene photos, which are distributed around the halls where they were taken so as to relive the moment it was taken on the set. Visitors will thus have the feeling that the actors are again there, offering a glimpse on daily life during the Renaissance.
Also on show will be the costumes designed by Danilo Donati, for which he won the 1969 Academy Award, and today are property of the Cerratelli Foundation.
You have time until January 6th 2019 to visit the exhibition. Until October 15th, open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6.30 pm and until January 6th from 10 am to 4.30 pm. Full ticket costs 7 Euros. Palazzo Piccolomini will remain closed from November 16th to November 30th.
