The famous Hot Club of Barga Vecchia opened its doors once again this evening after a gap of many, many years. Older residents of Barga have fond memories of the cellar club below the Piazza Angelio when it was once the finest club in the area.
Times have changed, and tastes have moved on but quality always remains the same. The reopening of the club after many years of closure is down to the efforts of just one man – Riccardo Bertoni.
He has single handed put life back in the place. Tonight it was jumping with Alex Rizzardi on sax and Pee wee on keyboards. A fine mixed set of danceable numbers and then the surprise of the evening – the Spanish soprano Isabel Ricciardi di Gaudesi came on to the stage and enchanted a goodly part of the audience with her soaring voice.