APCOM

Milano's Province has launched 'Banda larga' (Broad Band), the first edition of a festival whose aim is to appreciate the music of 140 bands in the entire Milanese metropolitan area. The initiative is particularly significant, director Riccardo Muti said a couple of months ago: "3,000 bands are in crisis and without any money. This is a true cultural murder".

The event's inauguration takes place at Teatro dal Verme on Sunday at 4.30 p.m. with the performance of five groups, the most ancient being the 'Corpo musicale Giuseppe Garibaldi' of Abbiategrasso, which was founded in 1888. In Milano, the appointment schedule plans other five concerts from May 18th to September 21st in the Montanelli gardens (Porta Venezia), while in the province's towns the shows will be around 60. All the happenings will be free.

That of bands is a deep-rooted phenomenon in Milano's province, with over 140 groups and 500 musicians of all ages. "This is a kind of music that is both popular and noble, which deserves to be protected" says Daniela Benelli, provincial councilor for Culture "Bands are a privileged place of education to music for young people and contribute to make up for schools' deficiencies."