In the middle of southern Tuscany towers Mount Amiata, an extinct ancient volcano whose last eruption dates back to about 700 thousand years ago, which still arouses amazement and wonder today for its impressiveness and its magical atmosphere that remains intact in its territory, nature, and traditions that have not been erased by time.

Located between the provinces of Grosseto and Siena, this Tuscan giant watches over one of the green areas of the region formed by the Orcia Valley, the Paglia Valley and the Maremma, the Siena hills and Bolsena Lake. Its seven municipalities, Abbadia San Salvatore, Santa Fiora, Arcidosso, Castel del Piano, Seggiano, Piancastagnaio and Castell'Azzara reflect the spirit of the Amiata, a large open natural park. 

Besides being one of the most important skiing areas in Tuscany, the Amiata also has three notable spa centres at Bagni San Filippo, San Casciano e Bagno Vignoni.
At Bagni San Filippo, water flows from the earth at 52 degrees and forms incredible sulphuric waterfalls in strangely opalescent colours like the "White Wall" made snow-white by the high concentration of limestone and the famous "White Water Moat", a stream in which fresh water mixes spontaneously with the hot spring water, Interspersed with Romanesque-Lombard monasteries, Renaissance and Baroque churches and medieval buildings, the Amiata territory over the centuries has maintained a strong balance between the population and the volcano's widespread flora and fauna that is protected in many areas. 

From the Monte Labro Game Reserve where there are still some surviving examples of the Appennine Wolf, it leads to the WWF Bosco Rocconi Natural Reserve with its characteristic pit and caves, and then on up to the Mount Penna Reserve that occupies over a thousand hectares.
Here many go off on trekking excursions seeking subterranean phenomena, caverns and immense forests of beech and maple, or simply to gather mushrooms and chestnuts, two typical foods in the Amiata diet which have many festivals dedicated to them throughout the year. 

He is from Tuscany, actually from the Maremma and the nephew of a true Buttero, as he likes to specify. As you get to know him, you discover that the fierce, modest and peaceful spirit of the Etruscans whom he is passionate about, lives anew in him; from his strong handshake to the last note of his marvelous singing. It is true, for the person we are speaking of is an ambassador of bel canto.

We are referring to Roberto Nencini, a baritone with well-respected ancestry: it is difficult to count the shining prizes in his showcase and all the awards bestowed on him. It will suffice to say that he has performed with Ricciarelli, Cossotto and Casolla and under the direction of Petre, Metha and Muti, to name a few. Nencini though is an artist with multifaceted talent, an artist always looking for challenges. He has in fact worked in theatre and the movies under the direction of Zeffirelli, Comencini, Laudadio and Steno, not to mention a recent visit to the world of Musical.

He was the powerful Mangiafuoco/ Fire Eater of “Pinocchio”, directed by Pooh. On the stage he is amazing. He has a full voice and he is a charismatic interpreter and an actor with inborn qualities at times refined and at times impetuous and ironic. When the lights on the stage go off, years as a performer did not touch the essence of the man. We briefly talked to him as we caught up with him during a time of rest in his native Maremma. “I am here to work on a project that has been on my mind for a long time”. 

What kind of project?  

Opening a school of bel canto. I remember I had to move to studyand I want to offer an opportunity to the young people of this area.And then, among the many requests, I received one from Lima,which I am particularly interested in. They asked me there toperform a Requiem by Verdi.

Why are the bel canto artists sought after abroad and almostignored in Italy?

Because our society is very superficial, the melomeniacs representa small niche. We forget the greatest authors are Italian and we gocrazy for imported music. Abroad, on the other hand, they adorethe Italian bel canto. Weird indeed! Is it a pity to be ignored in your own land and adored abroad?  No. Touring around the world makes you proud, knowing that youhave the honor to represent your own country.  How are the audiences in other countries?
Very attentive! They don’t miss a note…  

Is there a specific occurrence in your career which really stands out?  

It goes back to my debut at the Torre del Lago Puccini Festival. Iwas invited to sing for Simonetta Puccini, niece of the great Maestro.Before I started, she approached me and said abruptly: “I really wantto know how this Edgard sings”. At the end of the romance she askedme why I hadn’t been present at the mass for her grandfather’s soul– I really couldn’t tell her I had not been invited – and she added:“What a shame, grandfather would have loved you!”  

When you work, are you aware of your Maremma ties?

 

If the situation requires it, I reveal my disposition. I remember oncein Amsterdam, the theatre was full and I was about the get on thestage and the well-know singer who was due to perform with mehad a panic attack. I faced her resolutely and literally pushed heron the stage. She gave a beautiful performance and right after shesaid: You really come from the Maremma!” Ever since that day webecame best friends. 

What is the strongest emotion you feel as you sing?

 

An intimate feeling I feel every time I sing in church. When I sing, Ithank God for the precious gift of my voice. 

What about professionally?

 

The first time I sang at the Duomo di Milano with 150 orchestralplayers and 200 choralists behind me in front of an audience of 14,000 completely silent people! Breathtaking.

Chef Riccardo Messora delights many palates in Melbourne, Australia. Chef Messora originally came from the Livono doc, but he lived in Scarlino, a hillside village in the Grosseto area, on the Gulf of Follonica.

Italian cooking is very popular in Melbourne - Riccardo tells usbecause of the high number of Italians who live there (it is the Australian city with the largest Italian community: of approximately 3,800,000 inhabitants, a good 600,000 are Italian) and any restaurant of any ethnic background has at least one or more Italian dishes on the menu!

When Riccardo speaks, he does not have any Tuscan accent, but rather an Anglo-Saxon accent. This makes us realize that several years have gone by since, after having attended the hotel management school in Clusone in the Bergamo region, he decided to move to London. Herehe spent 8 years, working for important private restaurants and clubs such as Harry’s Bar, Criterion, Escargot and Drones. He then decided to move to Australia where he has been living and working for the past 4 years.

Enoteca Sileno, located in the Lygon Street Italian district is where Riccardo prepares its delicious Tuscan dishes, as ricotta and tuscan black cabbage gnocchi with wild boar ragu’ maremma style.

“The wine cellar and its restaurant, wine bar and showroom are a real institution in Melbourne, besides being one of the main companies in the importation of wines and Italian food products,” says Riccardo. Events, tasting, Italian cooking lessons, often in collaboration with the renowned Australian cooking school William Angliss are held at the Enoteca.

This school, as Pauline Dine, spokesman for William Angliss, states, has formed a strong partnership with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Melbourne, working on various projects and promoting exchange programs for students and teachers in order to foster Italian culture and its philosophy.

Contacts
Enoteca Sileno
www.enoteca.com.au

William Angliss
http://www.angliss.vic.edu.au/