Matrimonio Medievale

As a part of the Giostra dell’Archidado (Joust of the Archidado), a recreation of the wedding of Francesco Casali and Antonia Salimbeni occurring in the year 1397 was held at Piazza Signorelli last night. Workers had been readying the piazza for this big event since early Saturday morning. Two sets of bleachers were set up against one side of the piazza, and against the wall of the Etruscan museum a covered stage was draped in red and set with rows of high backed wooden chairs. Two large flower globes dangling from the red awning and a large vase of flowers on the ground in front of the stage. As I watched, a wooden table and two chairs were set on a red carpet in front of the covered stage, and a second, smaller, wooden stage was set in the far back corner, against a stone wall.

The 2 hours of festivities were scheduled to begin at 9:15, just past sundown. I stopped to ask Laura and Maria if they would like to join me, so they quickly ate dinner and we three wandered to the piazza at about 9:00. We arrived to find a medieval quartet set up on the small stage in the corner, singing and playing medieval instruments like a hurdy-gurdy. For a fee of 8 euro each we could have had seats on the bleachers, which I would have done had I any money with me. As it was, I stood for over 2 hours and my feet and knees were killing me!

A rather short announcer clad in a colorful tunic with a red velvet hat entered the stage area and mounted a small podium to host the event. As the lyrical notes from the quartet faded, the steady beat of drums echoed eerily in the dark as the marching band made its way from Piazza della Repubblica down the narrow lane into Piazza Signorelli eventually drowning out all other sound, even that of my own heartbeat. The drummers marched around the perimeter of the performance area and lined up against a building in the back, still playing. Each of the 5 quintieri, neighborhoods, of Cortona were introduced individually, accompanied by trumpeting, drumming, and a standard bearer followed by members of the quintieri in luxurious costumes made of velvet, silk, satin, and brocade in a rainbow of rich hues. The 5 quintieri of Cortona are San Vincenzo, San Marco-Poggio, San’ Andrea, Peccioverardi, and Santa Maria, which is my neighborhood.

The wedding party then entered the piazza, heralded by trumpeters, under a canopy made of lengths of white cloth attached to long wooden poles wrapped in white satin ribbon and carried by young women dressed fairy-like in diaphanous white gowns. The betrothed couple, dressed in elaborate costumes of ivory, gold, and rich brown, were seated at the wooden table for a brief marriage ceremony, then retreated to chairs under the awning to observe the entertainment. The flag throwers appeared and performed several routines and demonstrations of their flag tossing prowess; the young fairies danced and leaped nimbly, toes pointed, like woodland sprites; and a small group of men performed dangerous maneuvers with long, flaming torches. One intrepid soul was a flame thrower who opened his mouth wide and sent billowing columns of red hot flames arcing high into the air. After this awe-inspiring display, a representative of each neighborhood approached the newly wedded couple to offer a gift, and the lovely bride, crowned with a golden headpiece and a long ivory veil, curtseyed as each gift was presented and accepted.

For the final ceremony of the evening a beautifully dressed young man was brought forth and a red satin cloth tied around his eyes to hide them. He then reached into a tall yellow urn and selected five balls, one at a time, to determine the order in which each neighborhood would shoot in Sunday’s crossbow competition. It came to my mind that my neighborhood, Santa Maria, would be the final competitor, and guess what? They will be! Santa Maria has not won the archery competition since 1994 and I think they’re long overdue! I am enlisting the help of the Universe and La Santa for tomorrow’s contest!