Waiting for Epiphany
"La Valle" Choir from Sover, in Cembra Valley, performs an exciting a cappella concert
For the Ladins of Fassa, Epiphany is "Pèsca Tofènia", a special night that closes the Christmas season and opens the new year with good wishes. In the past, on the eve of Twelfth Night, a blessing ritual was performed in homes and stables: the family, barn and animals were entrusted to divine protection, then everyone sat down to the Grand Dinner, expressing gratitude for the past year and wishes for the one to come. It was even believed that, on that night, the animals in the stable could talk to each other, but woe betide anyone who listened to them! As a seal of protection, the initials of the Three Wise Men were marked on the lintels of the doors: K + M + B, kept until the following Epiphany to ward off evil spirits.
This ancient and evocative atmosphere is the setting for the concert by the mixed choir "La Valle" from Sover, founded in 2003 to promote traditional singing, culture and folklore in Val di Cembra. The choir offers a repertoire of popular Trentino, national and international songs, alongside the revival of precious valley scores from the 18th and 19th centuries. Among these are the twelve ancient "Canti della Stella" (Songs of the Star), which are performed every Epiphany Eve, as a musical bridge between memory and the present. Conducted by Maestro Roberto Bazzanella, the choir has performed in numerous festivals in Trentino and outside the region, also participating in tours in Europe and overseas. Since 2006, it has also been known as the "Gruppo Costumi Storici Cembrani" (Cembrani Historical Costume Group), promoting the traditional costumes of the 18th century.
At 5 p.m. in the Christmas Village behind the "La Gran Ciasa" multi-purpose building in Soraga (tourist office). Admission is free.
