No more rock concerts at the Circus Maximus. “This is a monument. This is not a stadium or a concert hall. These mega-rock concerts put him at risk, as does the nearby Palatine Hill in the future.”
Alfonsina Russodirector of the Colosseum Archaeological Park, under whose protection the Circus Maximus falls, which, however, “belongs” to the municipality, comments on the news of yesterday’s concert in Travis Scottwhen 70,000 people danced and jumped all evening, so much so that many Romans called emergency numbers for fear of an earthquake.
The manager does not hide his disappointment. “Hopefully Roma Capitale will improve Circus Maximus,” he explains. “Finally, it should be rebuilt so that its history and its functions in ancient Rome and also in subsequent periods are fully understood. be carried out in stadiums also in order not to jeopardize public safety”.
A series of live events at the Circus Maximus has now become the norm in Rome: just in the last few weeks, first the show Guns’n Roses, then Imagine Dragons, yesterday the American rapper. All events for tens of thousands of spectators, with very high decibels and, above all, jumps and dances that make the whole square tremble: “No, Circus Maximus is not the right place for this kind of concerts,” Russo attacks. “Usually the municipality asks for permission from the Capitol Supervisor, and we also give an opinion. I gave a number of instructions, I also talked about this with Mayor Gualtieri. But apparently I didn’t convince him. mention,” he explains, “that this Travis Scott concert came out late, just a few days ago.”
The risk is that monuments will be affected: “So far, no heritage damage has been done, but we don’t know what will happen. Keep in mind that the Great Circus is not a meadow, it is a monument: there are underground galleries, archaeological parts, you can jump there for hours, tens of thousands. be carried out in stadiums or, in any case, in specially designated places.
Councilor Honorato: “No accident was a great success”
“The only incident with a Travis Scott concert happened inside the archaeological site of the Colosseum, where a boy broke into the grounds and climbed up to watch the concert from afar. Online ads for Colosseum tickets reaching out to tourists have tripled, but that’s another story. But above all, we must remember that they gave a positive review of the concert with a recipe that the public should not have missed.” Advisor for Major Events, Sports, Tourism and Fashion at Rome Capital Honored Alexanderresponds to an argument. “What if yesterday’s events could have been avoided with just a few more checks? Yesterday was a great success, the whole world is talking about it. Zero accidents, zero injuries and 60,000 twenty-somethings who should be understood, not demonized by those who, eating ice cream on the terrace, felt annoyed by their 72-minute joy, ”concludes Honorato.
Borgonzoni: “What happened yesterday is unacceptable”
What happened last night at the Circus Maximus is unacceptable because the preservation of monuments and the safety of people have been put at risk.” The Deputy Minister of Culture intervenes. Lucia Borgonzoni. “Whose vibrations,” the note says, “caused an earthquake at the archaeological site and on nearby houses. A fact that has never happened before and which indicates the absence of real control. “I will write a letter to the municipality so that major events in the field of cultural interest comply with the regulations and rules issued by the institutions of the Ministry of Culture.”
Sgarbi: “I don’t mind, but with security plans and heavy fines”
“In principle, I am not against organizing large mass concerts, even in places like the Great Circus,” explains the Deputy Minister of Culture. Vittorio Sgarbi. “You need to expect and have confidence in how these concerts are organized, starting with guaranteeing the safety of the site and the audience. I am not for reprisals, but for settlement, with an expert commission that evaluates the plans. introduce themselves in advance and then be held accountable for their decisions.
And, in case of omissions on the part of the organizers, very high fines are provided. In general, concerts yes, but with preventive plans, strict security checks and adequate sanctions for those who do not comply with the established rules, ”concludes the former art critic.