(ANSA) - Rome, May 19 - Former Rome antiquities
superintendent Adriano La Regina on Friday described a
controversial huge stage for The Divine Nero, The Musical' being
built on the Palatine Hill as an "insult to the Rome landscape".
Writing in Vatican daily L'Osservatore Romano, La Regina said
"the proportions are misleading, the material incongruous and,
furthermore, there are more effective and less damaging,
invasive and vulgar tools to represent the ideal construction of
an ancient monument".
Culture Minister Dario Franceschini played down the row,
saying that "requests" from all sides had been reviewed before
granting permission for the project to go ahead.
Franceschini also stressed the temporary nature of the stage,
saying "the structure is not permanent, it will be there for a
few months and then it will be dismantled."
He added that "it will bring in a lot of money for the
superintendency."
The musical 's run is set to start June 7.
Nero stage 'insult' to Rome landscape (3)
'Damaging, invasive, vulgar' construction on Palatine