L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano MARIELLA RADAELLI I n Jesi you can feel la vera Italia. You will be amazed by this corner of Le Marche, a r e g i o n w i t h i t s f e e t i n t h e Adriatic Sea and its head in the 6 , 0 0 0 - f o o t p e a k s o f c e n t r a l Italy's Apennines, on the border of Tuscany and Umbria. In Jesi you can feel a genuine sense of discovery and quiet pleasures as you walk on cob- bles that haven't been polished by the soles of a million tourists. Surprised by visitors, the Jesini return our smiles with smiles, and a "Salve!" Jesi is an ideal place to sam- p l e t h e s i m p l e p l e a s u r e s o f Italian rural living. It lies in the heart of the verdant hill country where Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi is produced. A c r i s p , w h i t e w i n e r e n o w n e d f o r c e n t u r i e s , Verdicchio was even exported to ancient Greece. There is a gentleness to the landscape, to the hilly wine- country of this scenic green val- ley, the Vallesina, home to I Castelli di Jesi, medieval borghi surrounded by lush vineyards. This lovely inland town of 4 0 , 0 0 0 l i e s a l o n g t h e E s i n o River, just southwest of Ancona and about 30km from the coast. Jesi is steeped in history that spans over 2000 years. Its initial walls were built by the Romans i n 2 4 7 B . C . t o p r o t e c t t h e i r Roman colony "Aesis." Today, we admire the old t o w n ' s m e d i e v a l a n d Renaissance walls that have a perimeter of 1500 meters. Destroyed by the Goths and Lombards, the town formed part of the Frankish King Pepin III's gift to the Church in 756. In the early medieval con- flicts between the Holy Roman emperors and the papacy, the Jesini supported the former until the Battle of Benevento (1266), after which the Marche became an incorporated territory of the Papal States. T h e P i a z z a F e d e r i c o I I i s unforgettable – an enormous rectangular square surrounded by beautiful palazzos, a large obelisk water fountain in the middle. St. Settimio's cathedral s eems to h id e in th is P iazza where Emperor Frederick II was born on December 26 of 1194. H i s m o t h e r C o n s t a n c e o f H a u t e v i l l e w a s t r a v e l l i n g through the March of Ancona towards Sicily to reach her hus- band Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor, when she had to stop in Jesi to give birth to the future king of Sicily (1197-1250) and Holy Roman emperor (1220-50). The birth took place in a pavil- ion tent in the market square (the current Piazza Federico II), with the local authorities as witness- es. The great composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi was born and raised in Jesi. Even though he studied in Naples where he did m o s t o f h i s c o m p o s i n g , h e remains a son of Jesi. He died f r o m t u b e r c u l o s i s a n d i n extreme poverty at the age of 26, in 1736 at Pozzuoli. P e r g o l e s i ' s s a c r e d m u s i c masterpiece 'Stabat Mater' is a much-loved work in the canon of ecclesiastical music. For me, it is one of the most beautiful ever composed, so beautifully moving and its popularity con- tinues today in performances across the world, while it fea- tures on film soundtracks from Jesus of Montreal to Amadeus. Jesi plays host to an interna- tional music festival dedicated to the promotion of his works. The Festival Pergolesi is held in September annually. Also the historic theater of Jesi is named after Giovanni Battista Pergolesi and was built between 1790 and 1 7 9 8 . I t s a c o u s t i c q u a l i t y a m a z e s v i s i t o r s a n d e x p e r t s alike. The Teatro contains paint- ings and frescos in a profusion of gilt and Rococo motifs. Another illustrious citizen of this town is Valeria Moriconi, a stage and film actress whose v e r s a t i l i t y r a n g e d f r o m Shakespeare and Sophocles to some of Italy's most popular films. Theater Studio "Valeria Moriconi" is dedicated to her a n d i s l o c a t e d i n a f o r m e r church. T h e f o o d i s f a n t a s t i c - L e Marche has such a distinct and proud regional cuisine. Away from the coast, where food pre- vails especially along the ous- tanding Conero peninsula, the Jesi's cuisine is staggeringly meat-based: lamb, rabbit, and s w i n e a r e a l l s t a r s o f t h e Marchigiana country kitchen. The piccione ripieno and the coniglio in porchetta con finoc- chio selvatico in particular are incredible and the wine list, con- centrating on local wine, espe- cially the dry, apricot-scented Verdicchio, never fails to disap- point. Also the verdicchio pairs w e l l w i t h t a g l i a t e l l e a l r a g ù d'anatra and il lonzino di fico, a sweet salami made from dried figs, honey and nuts covered with vine leaves and served with cheeses. Certainly, Jesi is not Urbino, that acme of Renaissance towns, but has its own atmosphere and has everything one could wish for: artsy shops, good restau- rants, impressive palazzos such a s t h e H o n o r a t i - C a r o t t i , t h e Colocci and the Bisaccioni, and m a n y c h u r c h e s . S t . M a r k ' s Church is my favorite, for its c o l l e c t i o n o f w e l l - p r e s e r v e d Giottesque frescoes. Housed in the town's 18th- century Palazzo Pianetti is the Pinacoteca where art lovers can appreciate the artistic techniques behind Lorenzo Lotto's late- period paintings. The nearby Palazzo della Signoria features a n i n t e r e s t i n g c o l l e c t i o n o f archaeological finds. Jesi has a rich fencing tradi- tion that produced Olympic foil champions such as Valentina Vezzali, Stefano Cerloni and Giovanna Trillini. Finally, the town is an ideal base to explore the province and enjoy la vera vita italiana: a s u n n y s t r o l l o n t h e p r e t t i e s t beaches of the Conero peninsula. Jesi is an ideal place to sample the simple pleasures of Italian rural living. It lies in the heart of the verdant hill country where Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi is produced. Photo ©Paradisi The Teatro contains paintings and frescos in a profusion of gilt and Rococo motifs. Photo: U. Ubaldi ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES Jesi, aesthetic and edible treasures of a hidden beauty

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