Sicilian cart

The Sicilian cart (or carretto siciliano in Italian and carrettu sicilianu in Sicilian or carretti (plural)) is an ornate, colorful style of horse or donkey-drawn cart native to the island of Sicily, in Italy.

History

The carts were introduced to the island by the ancient Greeks. Carts reached the height of their popularity in the 1920s, when many thousand were on the island. Miniature carts, or Carrettini Siciliani, are often sold in Sicily (or in Italian shops and restaurants in other countries) as souvenirs. The Museo del Carretto Siciliano, in Terrasini, in the province of Palermo, is a museum dedicated to the carts.

Use

Sicilian wood carver, George Petralia states, that horses were mostly used in the city and flat plains, while donkeys or mules were more often used in rough terrain for hauling heavy loads. The cart has two wheels and is primarily handmade out of wood with iron metal components. Carts called "Carretto da Lavoro" (cart for work) are used for hauling miscellaneous light loads, such as produce, wood, wine, and people, and "Carretto da Gara' are carts for festive occasions such as weddings and parade. The Carretto is like the 'taxi' or 'truck' of today.

Sicilian

Sicily is an autonomous Italian island. The adjectival form Sicilian can also refer to:

See also

The Museum

The Museum is British television documentary series. It is a behind-the-scenes look at the British Museum, narrated by Ian McMillan and first broadcast on BBC Two on Thursdays at 7.30pm from 10 May 2007. It is produced by BBC Wales. It is in 10 half-hour parts. There is an accompanying hardback book by Rupert Smith.

Crew

Episode guide

References

Blanche Marchesi

Blanche Marchesi (4 April 1863 – 15 December 1940) was a French mezzo-soprano and voice teacher best known for her interpretations of the works of Richard Wagner. She was the daughter of Mathilde Graumann Marchesi, a German voice instructor who taught a variety of well-known opera singers, including Emma Eames, Nellie Melba, and Emma Calve.

Early life and career

Marchesi was born in Paris in February 1863. For her education, she attended boarding schools in Frankfurt, Germany and then Paris. Although she initially was educated as a violinist, she decided to pursue a singing career in 1881. Her first concert was held at Queen's Hall in 1896. Opera critics at the time criticized her technical skill but praised her interpretive ability. During her career as a voice teacher, Marchesi instructed such singers as British contraltos Muriel Brunskill and Astra Desmond. She premiered a work of Cecile Chaminade in England in the 1890s. She held a farewell concert in 1938, two years before her death.