The Municipality of Montechiarugolo , in collaboration with the Municipality of Parma, the Pilotta Monumental Complex and the precious contribution of Maestro Performing Artists from Zeffirelli Foundation ETS turns the spotlight on a local historical event that gives great value to the Parma area in the context of the construction of the Italian identity and the history of the Risorgimento: the Battle of Montechiarugolo which took place on 4 October 1796 , when the Civic Guard of the Republic of Reggio and some French militias laid siege to the castle of Montechiarugolo , where a column of Austrian soldiers fleeing from Mantua had taken refuge.
To celebrate this anniversary, a double event is being promoted in two exceptional locations that will approach, in different and complementary ways, what many consider the first feat of arms of the Italian Risorgimento, destined to arouse a vast echo and to exalt the libertarian and revolutionary spirit.
On Friday 4 October the Montechiarugolo Castle will host a concert-show by the famous tenor M° Paolo Barbacini and on Saturday 5 October the Pilotta Complex will welcome the historian Alessandro Barbero.
Saturday 5 October | 5.30 pm
Pilotta Monumental Complex – Farnese Theatre
Lectio Magistralis by Alessandro Barbero – Napoleon’s Italian campaign and the birth of the Tricolour
The Battle of Montechiarugolo – October 4, 1796
The Battle was destined to have such an echo that Napoleon himself donated 4 cannons and 500 rifles to the city of Reggio Emilia and Ugo Foscolo defined the patriots of Reggio as “the first true Italians and free citizens”. Napoleon donated one of the first tricolour banners with the writing “Montechiarugolo”, perhaps the first prototype of an Italian flag together with that of the Lombard Legion and Andrea Rivasi (to whom the main square of Montechiarugolo is dedicated) will be considered the first to shed his blood for freedom.