A woman who fell in love at first sight with a man she spotted from
her balcony during lockdown in a scene reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet
has revealed the creative way he declared his intentions.
Paola
Agnelli, 39, told Radio 4's Today programme how Michele D’Alpaos, 38,
who lives across the road in Verona, Italy, caught her attention by
painting her name on an old sheet and tying it to the roof of his
building for her to see.
The couple
first laid eyes on each other when they both stepped out onto their
balconies to listen to a community balcony concert designed to keep
spirits lifted.
Among those performing
was Paola's violinist sister, Lisa Agnelli, whose rendition of Queen's
We Are The Champions caught Michele's attention from across the street
and he found his eyes drawn to Paola, who was helping with the sound.
Paola
described how 'the music was like an arrow fired by Eros' when she saw
Mr D'Alpaos from the sixth floor of her apartment where she lives with
her mother and sister.
Speaking to
FEMAIL, Ms Agnelli said: 'The first time I saw Michele it was love first
sight and for him as well - our eyes just met each other. The
atmosphere was so romantic.'
And her real-life Romeo has revealed how a
'love was born' after he found out who Ms Agnelli was from his sister
Sylvia who knows her from the gym.
Lisa
Agnelli told BBC Radio Four: 'Every day I play the violin on the
balcony and on that day, March 17, my sister was helping me with the
audio.
'Michele saw my sister and fell in love while I was playing We Are The Champions.
Ms Agnelli, a lawyer, added: 'I went out
onto the balcony to see Lisa playing her violin and I saw Michele
standing on the opposite balcony I realised he was my friend Sylvia's
brother and I said: 'What a handsome man''.
Mr
D'Alpaos tracked down Paola's Instagram account and the pair started
messaging until 3am where he describes being like 'teenagers in love'.
Speaking about the evening she received a message, Ms Agnelli said: 'That night we wrote to each other until the early hours.
We realised we shared the same values and
that those would be a solid base for a relationship - we are both
determined people but also kind and sensitive.
In
a bid to announce his love, Mr D'Alpaos erected a huge banner on the
top floor of the building with 'Paola' written on it and neighbours have
been making detours to catch sight of the proclamation of love.
Ms
Agnelli said: 'He organised a big surprise for me by writing my name on
a bedsheet and hanging it out on the balcony - I was very moved by it.
Michele knows how to caress my soul with his sweet words.'
The couple, who are both unmarried, have
lived opposite each other for most of their lives but have never met
properly apart from a chance meeting a year ago.
And
the pair have vowed not to meet, even while abiding by social
distancing, as Mr D'Alpaos said he wants to 'protect' Paola because he
is in contact with people while working in a bank.
Mr D'Alpaos told BBC Radio 4 how he longs to kiss Ms Agnelli 'for an hour' after describing their relationship as 'magic'.
But
while the lockdown is in place, Ms Agnelli said she is happy for Mr
D'Alpaos to 'substitute a kiss with his words' as they anticipate their
date sitting on a bench in local park.