The idea of the first exhibition in the autumn of 1983 arose from a proposal of the Norwegian sculptor Fritz Røed City Administration for an exhibition of painting and sculpture in collaboration with the Norwegian State Gallery.
The musicians and composers Swiss Heidi Saxer, Gerhard Holzer and director Lionello Gennero expanded the range with new ideas for a more varied and nurtured cultural art project, whose formation and realization collaborated several Swiss artists, Norwegian, German and Italian.
The City Council supported the initiative with enthusiasm and it launched from 8 to 22 July 1984, the first cultural event of Villa Faraldi, which was called “Animation art of a country.”
The event was revived the following year, with a larger program, under the title “Horizons Faraldi”; an attempt rather mischievous, in truth, to create a cultural dimension of research in the various areas of expression (painting, music, architecture, environmental installation, video, graphic, gestural theater, dance and culture).
In 1986, in the wake of the previous cultural, refined under the artistic direction of pianist Heidi Holzer Saxer of Bern, with the decisive contribution of the founding of Culture Switzerland Pro Helvetia, founded the Festival of Villa Faraldi, dedicated to art, music and theater that is resubmitted successfully and with a calendar of great artistic and cultural quality, even in editions of 87 and 88.
The sixth and seventh edition, respectively the years 1989 and 1990, suggesting festivals “Theatre and Dance”, have received flattering acclaim from audiences and critics alike, with the wise art direction of Monica Saracco and Massimo Pro.
From the eighth edition, under the artistic direction of Renzo Sicco with technical and organizational support of Assembly Theatre, the festival of Villa Faraldi is colored new titles: “The gossips of Europe” (1991), “The borders of the Theatre” (1992), “Brush Strokes” (1993), “Other signs” (1994), “Words on the beat of the Sun” (1995), “Atlas, the streets of curiosity” (1996), “Zeitouna” (1997), “Waves “(1998),” Extraordinary “(1999),” Magnificent “(2000),” Wonderland “(2001),” a special night in … “(2002),” Twenty “(2003),” Whimsical “(2004), “Sextant” (2005). The 2006 and 2007 editions were marked by the artistic direction of Isabella Blengini of Real Art on Stage that saw the presence and participation of important names of Italian music (Enzo Whittaker, Mariella Nava, Moby, Andrea Mingardi) and of sold-out performances such as concerts by New Trolls and Aida Cooper and The Nite Life becoming part of the great national summer events.
The 2008 sees the arrival of a historical figure tied to the past and now to present the Festival of Villa Faraldi, the art direction was in fact assigned to Sonia Carla Asteggiante; a year marked by the return of historical figures such as Maria Cassi (Prize Milgior Solo and former Herring and Verdurini) and the presence distinctly feminine see Mascia Foschi and Catherine Spaak.
In 2009, the artistic director of the festival was entrusted to Villa Viola artistic director of the Teatro La Piccola Perla del Tiguglio Portofino; the edition called Mania records lusunghiere theatrical performances with the presence of fireworks Antonio Rezza and some of the best dance companies in Italian.
