April 19, 2024
On April 19, marking the bicentenary of Byron’s death, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Ravenna will open the doors of Palazzo Guiccioli and announce the establishment of the Italian Byron Society. In the evening, at the Basilica of San Francesco, Franco Nero will perform as Lord Byron.
On April 19, the doors of Palazzo Guiccioli, closed for decades, will finally open for the first time. This is one of Ravenna’s most important and grand historic residences.
This will allow the public to follow the progress of the recovery of the Palazzo, now nearing the final phase of a long and complex restoration project undertaken by Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Ravenna since 2011, when discussions with the Municipality of Ravenna began regarding the purchase of the building. The choice of April 19 is no coincidence: the Foundation’s President Ernesto Giuseppe Alfieri selected this date as it coincides with the bicentennial celebrations of the heroic death of Lord Byron, who died in Missolonghi, Greece, on April 19, 1824. The great British poet was a guest at Palazzo Guiccioli, where he resided with Count Alessandro Guiccioli and his very young wife Teresa Gamba. On this occasion, the Italian branch of the Byron Society—present in over 40 countries worldwide—will be officially founded, named the Italian Byron Society. Lord Byron will be the focus of the Byron Museum, which the Foundation is establishing in the noble, historic wing of the Palazzo, precisely in the rooms once inhabited by the poet. In the same building, the Risorgimento Museum is also taking shape, and the Small Doll Museum — Graziella Gardini Pasini Collection — will also be housed there. These three museums together form the newly established Palazzo Guiccioli Museum Complex, curated by Alberta Fabbri. On April 19, it will be possible to visit the Byron Rooms of Palazzo Guiccioli from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Reservations are required for entry (www.palazzoguiccioli.it).
The Byron Bicentenary Celebrations begin with this important preview and other significant public events. In the morning, at the Chiostri Danteschi, the Foundation’s President Ernesto Giuseppe Alfieri, alongside Antonio Patuelli, President of the La Cassa di Ravenna Group, and Mayor Michele de Pascale, will hold a press conference in the presence of the city authorities. They will present the progress of the museum installations in the restored rooms of Palazzo Guiccioli, along with collaborations developing around the new Museum Complex. In the afternoon, guided visits to the Palazzo will follow, by reservation.
In the evening, at 9:00 PM, in the Basilica of San Francesco, Byron and his poetic work will be embodied by Franco Nero, who will bring to life Byron’s fascinating life-story. He will portray Byron’s stay at Palazzo Guiccioli alongside the beautiful Teresa Gamba, his subsequent flight to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Liguria, and finally Greece, where he died. Also depicted will be the countless romantic escapades, passions, and ideals of Byron, the man who seduced entire generations with his myth. Franco Nero will read intense passages of the poet’s work. A cultured, curious, and open-minded person, Nero is perfect for the role of Byron. Attendance at the event, promoted by the Foundation, is free, subject to seating availability.
Press Releases and Materials
April 19, 2024
On April 19, marking the bicentenary of Byron’s death, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Ravenna will open the doors of Palazzo Guiccioli and announce the establishment of the Italian Byron Society. In the evening, at the Basilica of San Francesco, Franco Nero will perform as Lord Byron.
On April 19, the doors of Palazzo Guiccioli, closed for decades, will finally open for the first time. This is one of Ravenna’s most important and grand historic residences.
This will allow the public to follow the progress of the recovery of the Palazzo, now nearing the final phase of a long and complex restoration project undertaken by Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Ravenna since 2011, when discussions with the Municipality of Ravenna began regarding the purchase of the building. The choice of April 19 is no coincidence: the Foundation’s President Ernesto Giuseppe Alfieri selected this date as it coincides with the bicentennial celebrations of the heroic death of Lord Byron, who died in Missolonghi, Greece, on April 19, 1824. The great British poet was a guest at Palazzo Guiccioli, where he resided with Count Alessandro Guiccioli and his very young wife Teresa Gamba. On this occasion, the Italian branch of the Byron Society—present in over 40 countries worldwide—will be officially founded, named the Italian Byron Society. Lord Byron will be the focus of the Byron Museum, which the Foundation is establishing in the noble, historic wing of the Palazzo, precisely in the rooms once inhabited by the poet. In the same building, the Risorgimento Museum is also taking shape, and the Small Doll Museum — Graziella Gardini Pasini Collection — will also be housed there. These three museums together form the newly established Palazzo Guiccioli Museum Complex, curated by Alberta Fabbri. On April 19, it will be possible to visit the Byron Rooms of Palazzo Guiccioli from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Reservations are required for entry (www.palazzoguiccioli.it).
The Byron Bicentenary Celebrations begin with this important preview and other significant public events. In the morning, at the Chiostri Danteschi, the Foundation’s President Ernesto Giuseppe Alfieri, alongside Antonio Patuelli, President of the La Cassa di Ravenna Group, and Mayor Michele de Pascale, will hold a press conference in the presence of the city authorities. They will present the progress of the museum installations in the restored rooms of Palazzo Guiccioli, along with collaborations developing around the new Museum Complex. In the afternoon, guided visits to the Palazzo will follow, by reservation.
In the evening, at 9:00 PM, in the Basilica of San Francesco, Byron and his poetic work will be embodied by Franco Nero, who will bring to life Byron’s fascinating life-story. He will portray Byron’s stay at Palazzo Guiccioli alongside the beautiful Teresa Gamba, his subsequent flight to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Liguria, and finally Greece, where he died. Also depicted will be the countless romantic escapades, passions, and ideals of Byron, the man who seduced entire generations with his myth. Franco Nero will read intense passages of the poet’s work. A cultured, curious, and open-minded person, Nero is perfect for the role of Byron. Attendance at the event, promoted by the Foundation, is free, subject to seating availability.
Press Releases and Materials
2024 ©Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Ravenna | ph. Giampiero Corelli
