In Bagni di Lucca for three days, from June 6 to 8, an atmosphere of transgression and gambling will take place , thanks to the group of Napoleonic enthusiasts who will come from all over the world to stay three days in the spa town, beloved by Paolina Bonaparte, sister of the emperor.
Residents will be able to see the guests, about fifty, wander through the streets and attend events open to the public, such as the choreography rehearsals for the dances, which will be held in the gardens of Villa Webb. In the historic residence Viriglio Contrucci, camerlengo of the Vicaria Val di Lima who takes care of the residence, will show the rooms where nobles and poets stayed and will hold demonstrations of the old games of the Casino as well as in the Blue Room of the Circolo dei Foreignieri where he will be the group's guide. The dance rehearsals will be held in the garden of the historic villa. The Blue Room of the Circolo dei Forestieri was chosen to overcome the impossibility of using the Casino which will be the site of the polling station.
The organizers' program, "Grand Historic Events", offers the "Summer Delights in Bagni di Lucca" to celebrate the famous tourist resort, chosen as a royal summer residence by the Bonaparte family, by the poets Byron and Shelley and by many illustrious guests from all over Europe, also attracted by the medicinal thermal baths. All the events will be in 1797-1839 costumes. The program includes choreography rehearsals in the garden of Villa Webb, a visit to the house where Shelley stayed, dinner in a historic palace, a visit to the Bonaparte residences, Villa Gamba and Shelley's house, as well as dancing in the Sala Rosa of the Circolo dei Forestieri, demonstrations of old gambling games and even a bath in the hot thermal waters at the Bernabò establishment. There will also be a visit to the Villa Reale di Marlia. There are so many events for the group that will come from all over the world to live in Bagni di Lucca for three days "as it was from the end of the eighteenth century to the first half of the nineteenth century".
The group returns for the third time led by Margarita Martinez, costume designer and organizer of period balls. The Napoleonic guests were in the spa town for the first time in 2016 and then again in 2018. “They come from all over the world, some even from Australia,” explains Virgilio Contrucci, who is at the forefront of this initiative, “with the desire to experience the atmosphere of Napoleon’s time for three days, when our town was considered the most attractive holiday destination. They booked well in advance. Two grand balls will be held in the Sala Rosa of the Circolo dei Forestieri and the guests will change their clothes three times each day: morning, afternoon and evening. Bagni di Lucca will once again be the most sought-after salon in Europe for a few days. It’s a shame we can’t use the Casino. We will use the Sala Blu of the Circolo dei Forestieri to demonstrate the games.”
On Saturday 9th, from 9:30 to 15:00, there will be visits to Shelley’s house, the Bonaparte residence, and Villa Gamba. This will be followed by lunch at the Circolo dei Forestieri restaurant. From 15:00 to 18:00, Napoleonic visitors will be able to bathe in the warm thermal waters of the Bernabò establishment and visit the spa located in Bagni alla Villa. In the evening, there will be dancing in the Sala Rosa of the Circolo dei Forestieri, while in the adjacent Sala Blu there will be a demonstration of the old games that were played at the Casino. On Sunday 8th June, there will be a visit to the Villa Reale di Marlia and its park, a picnic lunch, and a visit to the Maddalena bridge in Borgo a Mozzano. The evening will end with a concert and a second grand ball “Romantico 1839”, again in the Sala Rosa of the Circolo dei Forestieri.