Romeo, Romeo where for art thou Romeo ? – one of the most famous lines to have come flowing from the quill of William Shakespeare, could quite easily have been one of the questions asked (and answered ) at a marriage ceremony in Barga this week.
But not by a Montague or Capulet but instead by an Abbott or a Durrant
So just what are we talking about here ? Ok let’s back track ….
Quite a few years ago a young student from England, Lydia Abbott visited Barga as part of a project to perform Shakespeare in Italy. A production of Romeo and Juliet was in fact put on in Piazza Salvi with Lydia in the role of Juliet.
She fell in love with Barga and upon returning to England has since been an avid reader of barganews keeping up with everything about Barga in her native Liverpool.
She then met and fell in love with Jonathan Durrant and it was only logical that the place that she chose to seal the match was of course, here in her beloved Barga.
Images of the marriage ceremony and blessing at Villa Collette are by another person who came to Barga, fell in love with the place and is now a permanent resident – the Scottish photographer Hamish Scott-Brown MA (photog) and just recently awarded a ‘Fellowship’ of the British Institute of Photography.
International award winning photographer Hamish Scott -Brown is an outstanding contemporary photographer operating at the cutting edge of the industry. His inimitable approach secures his place as a leading exponent and digital artist who provides images of the highest quality and style
Hamish trained originally at the prestigious Bournemouth and Poole College of Art where he studied photography along with so many other great British talents like Turner prize winner Wolfgang Tillmans and world renowned fashion photographer Nick Knight. Recognised by his tutors as an outstanding student, he went on to work as an assistant to names like Tony McGee and John Swannell before operating as a freelance photographer, graduating as a teacher from Strathclyde University and finally securing a post as a Principal University Lecturer. – more here
Music for the event was supplied by yet another person who arrived in Barga for a short period, fell in love with the people and the place and has since made it her permanent home – Emma Morton, the enigmatic and stylish leader of the band Emma e gli Aristodemos
All the staff at barganews wish Lydia Abbott and Jonathan Durrant all the very best for the future.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raAGENs_LEU