Sponz Viern: the winter edition of the Sponz Fest in Capossela

From 3 to 6 January, the Sponz Viern, the winter edition of the Sponz Fest created and directed by Vinicio Capossela, comes to life for the first time in Calitri, in Alta Irpinia, now in its twelfth edition. Organized by the Sponziamoci association with the collaboration of the Municipality of Calitri and the associations L’Isola che non c’è, I Teatranti del Sipario, Pro Loco Calitri and Aletrium, the Sponz Viern includes four days of music, theatre, workshops and activities for children, screenings, meetings, readings, the updated procession of the Living Nativity, the traditional concerts in the caves dug into the tuff of the historic center and much more.

A rich and varied program which culminates in three evening concerts: the Swing Night with the Sorelle Marinetti and the Patagarri with guest Tonino Carotone; the evening dedicated to quadrilles, sonnets and batteculi All Local Star and the ritual concert by Vinicio Capossela, entitled “The Twelfth Night”. Sponz Viern closes the festive period with a big community embrace in Calitri, which has always been the beating heart of the Fest. “For many years we have been harboring the desire to create a winter edition of Sponz Fest under the embers of the hearth. Calitri and its ancient historic center is one of those towns that can fit perfectly into the image of a nativity scene – says Vinicio Capossela – The caves, the alleys, the stories that still hover within its walls recall that season in which, in the culture of the earth, winter was the time of fire and storytelling. In the peasant world, which built those caves, the festive season was winter: Christmas, carnival, weddings, masks. And it is that game and that story that we want to light up in the very special days around the Epiphany which culminate in the ‘twelfth night’. The night that concludes the time of wonders that began with Christmas.”

Then he continues: “We therefore thought of disseminating the town with events, of composing a talking nativity scene to reproduce contemporary society and its civil issues, and we thought of a large heated circus tent to host music, concerts, the dances and the lottery. Following the beautiful spontaneous mobilization of last August 31st, we decided to organize this edition by focusing on the strength of participation. The edition will be made possible thanks to the support and activity of local associations, the municipal administration, the sponsorship contribution of local entrepreneurs and the concert ticket office. The ‘Twelfth Night’ coincides with the twelfth edition of this kind of miracle that we call Sponz Fest. Twelve is a number of great harmony, of human fullness, of cyclicality, a number that is well suited to the winter celebrations which have always placed us in the cyclicality of nature”.