Punic
Carthage
Rome (Roman?)
Hannibal
Trasimeno

Punic Wars.
Carthage and Italy
Hannibal
no lake yet!

It's interesting -- I was actually thinking of constructing a Hannibal clue. Don't recall this battle though. But there's a battle at Zama that's stuck in my brain. :-)

This isn't quite medieval history though. :-)

Trasimeno!

Hey, grandmere, I've the lake. But I guess Italy fits the clue a little better. You want to take the next clue?

111op: brava - you got it! Yes, it's 'Roman' republic. Perhaps the lake in Umbria gave it away, there aren't too many there.......Anyway, it's a very interesting site, I went to Lake Trasimeno 9 months ago and walked along the riverbanks where over 15,000 Roman soldiers were killed in the ferocious 3 hour battle. It's hard to believe that such a slaughter could have taken place in such a (now) tranquil setting. The lake is beautiful and the surrounding area is so nice (close to Cortona in Tuscany).

You live somewhere in Europe, right, Huitres? I forget where exactly.

I used to love Roman history -- I took Latin, which, alas, I've all forgotten.

Grandmere can have the next clue. We basically posted at the same time. Anyway, I'm running out of interesting clues to give. :-)

This virtuoso (first name hyphenated, 4-6, last name 4) plays this instrument, (8 letters), which is said to evoke mystery and wonder. There is a seminar held in this European town (5 letters, last letter "a" from Hannibal) for instruction in this instrument.

Ok, I'll have to make some random guesses here:

The name is probably French, since it's hyphenated 4-6. So a Jean-Pierre or a Jean-Pascal fits the clue.

There's a Jean-Pascal Post who plays the clarinet.

No clue as to the town, but Siena fits the bill as well as others, no doubt.

Is the instrument really as prosaic as the clarinet? I'm thinking that the instrument has to be somewhat exotic.

I thought of the ondes martenot. Theremin?

???

111op- you're too funny. I spent the whole afternoon learning about bombarde, toragato, gayageum, calliope, carillon... etc. Nothing seems to fit the bill.

As for places, I thought about Siena, Lucca, Genoa. But basically gave up at this point.

I thought the clarinet was too straight forward. Somehow, I have a hunch it might be the dulcimer, but again unable to figure anything out...

Sounds like we must be looking at the same list of musical instruments. :-)

For some reason I think it's the ondes martenot -- though the number of letters doesn't fit.

I just bought a ticket from AA for Paris. The price was back to where it was yesterday, which was $670. So I'll be off for Labor Day weekend. Yippee!

Hint: Ovid gives clues to this ancient instrument at end of Book One of Metamorphoses!

Lucky you, 111op, going to Paris in scant weeks!

I haven't been on these puzzle threas in a really long time, and I missed an entire thread. (You were really busy!) I've spent the last half hour researching futilely mandolins and dulcimers and cimbaloms, but now I have to go out. At this point, I'm thinking about panflutes and a seminar in Arosa, but haven't found a virtuoso yet.

I think it is a panflute too, just don't know the name of the virtuoso either!

111op, no, I don't live in Europe, although I have many family members that do (sister in Germany, brother in France, aunt & uncle in Moscow, etc). I am there about 5-6 times a year and do hope to move to Italy next year!

You know, I concur with panflute (or panpipes?)
The several players with 4 letter last names do not have hyphenated first names (Damina Luca, Cornel Pana).

Ok, here's my answer:
Papageno!

Oh, BTW, 111op, Paris again?! I guess one can never get tired of Paris. But what about your Rhine/Bernina Express/Venice plan? :)
I'm stuck in the US these days, just a short hop over to SF end of this month. :(

Panflute it is, seminar in Arosa, and the musician is Jean-Claude Mara!

I got acquainted with him and his panflute (via cassette, pre-CD) one beautiful late spring morning in Apt, walking by a store where the sounds were drifting out onto the street.

So, you're next, cmt!

Jean-Claude Mara
Panflute
Arosa Switzerland

http://www.mara-productions.com/index.htm

Glad to see that you guys all figured out the clue!

I guess I'm getting a little tired of Paris, but well, it's not like I know it that well, and I tend to take the same flights on AA if I can -- they work very well for me (evening departures there and return). I thought of going to Lisbon, but it seems like I've to connect and I just don't feel like it this time. And I still haven't been to Scandinavia. But anyway, going to Paris takes about the same amount of time as London, and I guess I still prefer Paris, and I just want to do something else for a couple of days.

Just wish that tickets were cheaper though.

Still thinking about Rhine and Bernina Express and Venice -- for that I'll actually take a week off. I'm not taking any time off for Paris (so I'm just there for the long weekend and will fly back on Monday).