Melisma Aps
The Festival Internazionale del Mediterraneo is a production of Melisma Aps, an association for the Music and Cultures of the Mediterranean.
Founded in December 2021 and based in Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena, Melisma Aps is a non-profit organisation pursuing civic, charitable and socially beneficial aims: to promote, preserve and share the traditional and folk music that shapes Mediterranean culture in all its varied nuances and distinctive character, and to enrich the musical culture of both its audiences and its members.
Il Festival Internazionale del Mediterraneo
The project's aim is to celebrate the local area through a varied programme of concerts and cultural activities open to the community. It is built on the idea of the Mediterranean as a meeting place of cultures, languages and traditions, offering a musical journey that moves between ancient and contemporary sounds and fosters dialogue between Italian and international artists. At the festival's heart are free live concerts with a semi-acoustic approach that draws out the atmosphere of each setting and invites an intimate, shared experience.
Beginning in late June, the festival unfolds over nine weekly musical events through to the end of August. The programme travels across the Mediterranean in its many sonic expressions – from traditional music to contemporary crossovers – taking in flamenco, rebetiko, tarantellas, jazz manouche, the sounds of West Africa and original projects. Alongside this, the festival is enriched by a small season of amateur theatre, opening with a reading of extracts from 'Malamore', a work by the Parisian director and actress Isabelle Lariou, presented in Italian for the first time.
The team
Monica and Mauro, the organisers
Together, Monica and Mauro have created a festival that brings the world to Peagna – a summer season in the evocative setting of the Anfiteatro Carlo Vacca, among the hills of the Riviera di Ponente, (the coast west of Genova) with free entry and open to the whole community.
Monica Romanisio, singer and theatre director, has returned to her beloved Liguria after a decade of rich experience in the theatres of Paris.
Mauro Perego de Salvia, multi-instrumentalist and artistic director of the Festival, is Italy's first graduate in flamenco singing. A flautist, saxophonist and singer specialising in the flamenco-jazz idiom, he has an international career that has taken him from Mexico to the United States, from China to Australia, and to a decade in Seville, where he has collaborated with leading figures of the flamenco world.
The kitchen
A Culinary Journey through the Mediterranean with Associazione Melisma
We're delighted to announce that this year our kitchen will be led by Chef Isa Lipartiti, who has created a true gastronomic journey through the Mediterranean for us. Get ready to explore the flavours, aromas and colours of extraordinary places – Greece, Albania, France and many other fascinating destinations.
The dishes, creative and rich with Eastern influences, are made exclusively with fresh, natural ingredients: the perfect match for the notes of our Mediterranean concerts.
Useful information and membership
To support our association's projects and enjoy this special culinary and cultural offering, you'll need to become a member of Melisma. Membership costs just €5 per household and gives access to the bar and refreshments during the evenings.
Booking required
Given the unique nature of the venue and the limited space, we kindly ask you to book in advance so we can organise everything as smoothly as possible.
We're hugely grateful for your kind cooperation. We can't wait to welcome you and share these unforgettable evenings together!
A festival made by many hands
Behind every show lies the work of many people. The sound is looked after by Laurent, a sound engineer with long experience in live music, built up in Paris before he moved to Liguria – an expert ear that makes all the difference.
L’identità visiva è opera di Sally, designer australiana che da anni vive e lavora in Liguria, con un linguaggio grafico che racconta lo spirito mediterraneo del festival: caldo, vivace e accogliente. E avete notato la lucertola nel logo? È la lucertola ocellata, rara e protetta: in Italia vive soltanto qui, nella Liguria di Ponente, ed è il simbolo di Peagna. I bambini del paese l’hanno chiamata ‘Lucy’.
And then there's everything else that needs doing before each show, the lion's share of which is taken on by Vanya. You'll find her taking the money for the meals and sorting out memberships, so make sure to say hi.
