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Stories from the lake

Lake timeline

Two thousand years of the lake in order of date: from the Roman road along the western shore to the first steamboat, from the fall of the Isola Comacina to the Olginate dam. Each date leads to the story that tells it and to the place where it happened.

Dates
82
Stories
27
Periods
6
Como harbour with the jetty and moored boats, the cathedral dome on the right and the Brunate hill behind the town.
Photochrom Print Collection · Public domain

Only the dates from the story ‘The musicians' lake'All dates

3dates

Nineteenth century

1800–1899 · 3 dates

  1. Bellini at Moltrasio

    The Cantù and Turina families rent Villa Salterio at Moltrasio, where Giuditta Cantù carries on her affair with Vincenzo Bellini. These are the years in which the composer writes La straniera and La sonnambula; a plaque on the villa's façade records it.

    Place: Villa Salterio Erker, MoltrasioStory: The musicians' lake

    The three-storey lilac villa on the road, with grey shutters, the decorated pediment at the top and a plaque on the front; on the left a balustraded terrace, on the right the arch spanning the road.

  2. Liszt at Bellagio

    Franz Liszt arrives with Marie d'Agoult and stays at the Genazzini hotel. On the lake he writes the twelve Grandes études for piano; on Christmas Eve, at the Albergo dell'Angelo in Como, his daughter Cosima is born, who will marry Wagner.

    Place: Palazzo GenazziniStory: The musicians' lake

    The white marble group of Dante and Beatrice: Dante, crowned with laurel, holds her hand; Beatrice, standing on a globe among clouds, raises her arm upwards. Below, the arcaded pedestal with carved verses, in front of a dark hedge with rhododendron flowers.

  3. The publisher Ricordi's villa at Cadenabbia

    Villa Margherita is built at Cadenabbia for the music publisher Ricordi, reportedly with the proceeds of Il trovatore. Giuseppe Verdi is often a guest, and Amilcare Ponchielli starts work there on I Lituani, staged at La Scala in 1874.

    Place: Villa Margherita Ricordi, CadenabbiaStory: The musicians' lake

    The yellow villa seen from the road: green shutters, the semicircular hall with its balcony, the name Margherita and the clock between two statues at the top, above the lawn and the balustrade.