Introduction

Having had a rather long theoretical excursion into festival territory, it may be time to consider Montepulciano itself a little more closely before moving to consider other festivals and ideas. The placement of this short chapter and the delayed introduction to Montepulciano has been deliberate. The intention is to build a bridge between the previously examined Bruscello theatre and the Bravio or barrel race, presented in the following chapter, by better introducing the town and some of the themes in its history that have transpired as being relevant to both events, as well as to mirror and reflect on the town's pivotal position as a frontier town in both spatial and temporal terms. The mythic origins of Montepulciano, the persistence of fluid versions of the myth (already encountered in Bruscello plays) and the persistence of different aspects of the past in the physical fabric of the town are given some attention before looking back in history from earliest available records. This perspective highlights how Siena's threat to Montepulciano's independent development was kept at bay through becoming a frontier ally with Florence. There is then an interpretation of aspects already outlined, linking them to Deleuze's concept of the ‘Problem/Idea’ and anticipating some themes for further scrutiny. The proliferation of voluntary associations that appears as a particularly strong social tendency is another indication of the fluidity characterising the town, while the existence of another major avant-garde arts festival event that cannot form part of present analysis, but whose presence is significant, is acknowledged.