Meeting point at 4.00 pm at Zurich airport, of course in front of Helvetic Airways' Check-In 3, destination Bari. The two young women, each accompanied by a friend, are still incredulous and a little wary, they still cannot believe they have won but, once on board the plane, they calm down and tell us how they feel. “I'm afraid of flying - Sabrina confesses to us - this is only the second time I've taken a plane but, for Biagio, this and much more. I entered the contest with my fingers crossed in the hope of winning and, when the fateful phone call came, I couldn't believe my ears, I couldn't believe that I had won and, to be honest, I still don't believe it, it feels like a dream.” “For me too it was a surprise - Chiara tells us - I took part almost for fun and, when I found out that my name had been drawn, I thought it was a joke, only now do I realise that it's all true.”
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After a flight of about an hour and a half we land in Bari. Welcoming us there is an almost summery climate and a shining sun that lights up the beauties of this city, making it even more charming. We stay at the Palace Hotel Bari ****, a lavish hotel right in the centre of the city, the largest in the Apulian capital, on the corner of Corso Vittorio Emaniele II, offering us a 360° view over the rooftops of Bari. The young women are a little tired, but above all excited about the following day. Tomorrow they will see their idol, so everyone goes to dinner in the company of some friends met up with in Bari. The rendezvous is at El Churrasco, a restaurant actually famous for its meat specialities, but also for its starters which, to tell the truth, had left us open-mouthed as well as full. Amazed after more than sixteen starters, oven-baked potatoes, tagliata, fillets and various entrecôtes, we say goodbye and arrange to meet the next morning.
Here we are, it is the fateful day, it is 5 May 2012 and, this evening, Biagio Antonacci will perform at the Pala Florio in Bari. While waiting for the long-awaited moment, we treat ourselves to a stroll through the streets of the city centre, a few shops, an ice cream, a short stop at the beach too and, to recover from the “effort”, we sit down in a delightful little restaurant, Al Pescatore. A fish-based menu is just what we need and, between a dish of mussels, one of cuttlefish and one of fried fish, time seems to fly. After coffee, some go back to shopping, while others prefer to go and sunbathe by the sea. Then we return to the hotel to rest a little: the rendezvous is at 8.00 pm to go to the Pala Florio.
We get into the taxi and the young women are extremely agitated: “I'm overjoyed - Sabrina says - I'm in Bari, there's a wonderful sun, I've met so many amazing people and in a moment I'll see Biagio Antonacci, what more could I want? If it's a dream, don't wake me.”. After about ten minutes, through the car window one begins to make out the outline of the Pala Florio surrounded by a multitude of people. We draw closer and notice groups of young people who, to pass the time, strike up the songs of the legendary Biagio, and the contest winners too begin to warm up their voices by humming a few notes. A bit of queuing and here we are, we are inside and only a few metres separate us from the singer. The hall is packed, the audience begins to call out loudly for their favourite and, all of a sudden, the lights go down, a guitar solo starts and he takes the stage, Biagio Antonacci.
The crowd goes wild and the Pala Florio seems to literally tremble beneath the fans' feet. The atmosphere is unique, magical, almost hypnotic, and one cannot help but sing and dance to the driving rhythm of the artist's songs. Sabrina, Chiara and their two friends are no exception and, singing along to the words of their favourite songs, they take photos, videos and do not stop for a moment thanking us for the “gift” we have given them.
For this new tour, inspired by his latest album “Sapessi dire no” (literally If I Knew How to Say No), Biagio has chosen a very minimal choreography and stage set-up, with a single central catwalk enlivened by a few street performers, no special effects or video projections his aim is to go straight to the hearts of his fans by shedding all the glitter of the stage. The setlist was varied, with a few pieces taken from “Sapessi dire no” and some “historic” songs by the artist. Two hours of music, real music, the kind that fills the heart and stirs emotion, two hours of dancing, shivers, songs shouted out and, in the end, one has no voice left at all.
The concert is over, Biagio says goodbye to the fans and thanks them for having been with him, giving them a rendezvous in October. We return to the hotel tired but happy to have lived such a rich and intense experience; in a few hours a plane awaits us to take us back to Zurich and we are sure that we will still carry the warmth and energy of the singer, which will accompany us throughout the journey.
Departure is at 8.45 am, we wake up early, have a hearty breakfast and say goodbye to Bari which, in the early morning, seems even more welcoming. Having landed in Zurich, everything seems a little sad to us, whether because of the grey sky or the not exactly spring-like weather, but we would have preferred to continue our stay in the Apulian capital. The adventure is over. Thank you to Biagio Antonacci for warming our hearts with his music and to Helvetic Airways for flying us to Bari.
Palace Hotel Bari ****
Via Francesco Lombardi, 13
70122 Bari, Italy
T. +39 080 52 16 551
info(at)palacehotelbari.it
www.palacehotelbari.it
El Churrasco - di Sardaro Giuseppe & C.
meat specialities
Via Guido Dorso, 57, 59, 61
70125 Bari
T. +39 080 50 24 367
Al Pescatore - Ristorante da Onofrio
Specialities: seafood, fresh local fish grilled over charcoal, fish soups
Piazza Federico II di Svevia, 6/8
T. +39 080 52 37 039
Mobile +39 349 46 36 570
