Festha Manna: From religious rites to a Francesco Gabbani concert

Porto Torres is preparing for Festha Manna with an edition that, once again, will be packed with events and initiatives. The program, promoted by the municipal administration thanks to collaboration with the vibrant community of local associations, features over 30 events. The program will begin in early May and continue until mid-June, culminating on May 23rd, 24th, and 25th. The heart of Festha Manna is devotion to Saints Gavino, Proto, and Gianuario, which annually draws large numbers of faithful and visitors from all over Sardinia to the city, both to honor the cult of the Martyrs of Porto Torres and to participate in the great popular festival, one of the most popular on the island. The most significant religious moments, as per tradition, will be the liturgical celebrations of Pentecost and the procession on Sunday, May 24th, following the wooden statues of the Martyrs for their official return to the majestic Basilica of San Gavino. This year, the scheduled processions will be subject to changes due to construction work at the small church of Balai Vicino. The Festha Manna calendar will begin on Sunday, May 3rd, with the transfer of the statues of the Turritani martyrs Gavino, Proto, and Gianuario from the Basilica of San Gavino to Balai Vicino. This year, exceptionally, given the safety work being carried out at the small church, the statues will be accompanied to the Piazza Caduti della Corazzata Roma for temporary display to the faithful. They will then be privately returned to the Basilica's underground crypt, where they will remain until May 24th. On Pentecost Sunday, the second procession will take place, moving from Balai to the Basilica, as per tradition. The day before, Saturday the 23rd, a nighttime pilgrimage will depart from the Cathedral of San Nicola in Sassari to the Basilica, where, on the morning of Monday the 25th, the Solemn Pontifical Mass will be celebrated, one of the most spiritually heartfelt moments of the entire festival, presided over by the new Metropolitan Archbishop Francesco Soddu. But the Festha Manna is also a great cultural, artistic, and identity-building event. Among the most heartfelt events is the highly anticipated concert under the "Note sotto la Torre" banner, which will feature Tuscan singer-songwriter Francesco Gabbani on Saturday, May 23rd. The two-time winner of the Sanremo Music Festival—in 2016 in the Newcomers section with the song "Amen" and the following year among the Bigs with "Occidentali's Karma"—will perform his vast repertoire of other major hits, including "Viseversa," "Tra le granite e le granate," and "Per una vita." Gabbani's name thus joins that of other major artists who, in recent years, have thrilled audiences in Piazza Colombo, such as Noemi, Le Vibrazioni, the Modena City Ramblers, and Alex Britti. These names join the equally high-caliber offerings of Pasquetta Turritana, which has enjoyed extraordinary success with The Kolors and, in recent years, with Max Gazzè and the Orchestra Jazz della Sardegna, with Rezophonic and Tazenda. This artistic journey has established Porto Torres as a venue for major events, engaging thousands of people with significant economic and regional benefits. The rich and varied calendar, developed by the municipal administration in collaboration with local associations, businesses, and the Pro Loco, also features a series of events tied to tradition and cultural identity. These include the traditional Fish Festival (scheduled for Sunday, May 31st), the evocative Fisherman's Regatta (Saturday, May 23rd), the Fiera di San Gavino (May 22nd to 25th), and the thrilling Palio di Santu Bainzu, scheduled for June 13th. The program also includes folkloristic performances, cultural and identity events, historical reenactments, and numerous opportunities to savor the traditional flavors of Turritana cuisine. The calendar will be further expanded and detailed in the coming weeks, with updates on times and locations. On Saturday, May 9th, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, the Turris Libisonis Archaeological Area will host a new edition of the Extemporaneous Painting Exhibition, "Porto Torres: places, landscapes and monuments," dedicated to the city's most significant views, organized by TNT Global Art. On Thursday, May 14th, at 7:00 pm, in the Filippo Canu Hall, "A dive into chemistry... and more," an event promoted by the "La Scienza in Verticale" network, will feature students from all levels of schools in Porto Torres, Stintino, and Sassari who will accompany visitors on an experimental scientific journey through the properties of matter, discovering compounds and chemical formulas. On Friday, May 15th, at 8:30 pm, the parish church of Cristo Risorto will host the International Festival "Musica Maestro!" - The 15th edition, organized by the Cantori della Resurrezione, will feature polyphonic meetings and a concert by the Tenores di Bitti Remmunnu 'e Locu, followed on Saturday, May 16th at 8:30 pm by polyphonic meetings and a concert by the Laeti Cantores Choir of Cagliari. On the same day, again at 8:30 pm, at the Fabrizio De Andrè Civic Music School, the "Musicando per la città" festival will take place, featuring the Musicando Insieme Association, with Damiano Maxia on piano. On Sunday, May 17th, "Musica Maestro!" will feature the Vox Mulieris, the Voice of Women, and on Friday, May 22nd, at the Palazzo del Marchese, the TNT Global Art Extemporaneous Painting Award Ceremony.