The Music of Apulia has had some glorious history as well as some very hard times. Located along the southern Adriatic, the area was part of Magna Grecia and certainly one of the centers of Ancient Greek music. And 1,000 years ago, Bari, on the coast, was a privileged sanctuary for pilgrims and Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. Yet, the only musical relic that remains from the period is the Excultet, a representation from the 11th century of two angels playing trumpets that is preserved in the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari. Later, as part of the Kingdom of Naples, Apulia produced many memorable names in music, but like elsewhere in the south, many of them gravitated to Naples, the capital of the kingdom. Further, economic hardships in the south following the unification of Italy through much of the 20th century resulted in massive emigration, a phenomenon hardly conducive to emphasis on music and the arts. Yet, modern Apulia has shown itself to be remarkably resilient and has an active, if still struggling, musical life. Folk music Apulia was home to the well-known folk song revivalist Matteo Salvatore. The healing tarantolati ritual is an important part of Apulian folk culture. The ritual is centered on Saint Paul and women (tarantolati) who are said to have been bitten by a tarantula. The poison from the bite is said to be healed by dancing, sometimes for hours or even days. The dances include the tarantella and tarantata, and is accompanied by tamburelli and either violin, organetto or guitar. Brass bands Apulia is known for its brass band tradition, which includes the Bando Ruvo di Puglia, led by Pino Minafra. In recent music, this brass band tradition has involved many of the region's jazz performers. Music venues The Petruzzelli Operatic and Symphonic Foundation of Bari is the organization around which much of the cultural life of the city revolves. It is named for the famous Teatro Petruzzelli, the center of music life in the city and province, but which fell victim to a disastrous fire in 1991 and reopened just in 2009. Taking up that slack, however, are other venues: the Basilica of San Nicola, the premises of the Piccinni Conservatory, and the Teatro Piccinni (now closed). The city of Bari also hosts the interesting Kismet Theater, a permanent theatrical and musical workshop, open to the public 6 days