A highly original September 16 event will feature an international group of Italian and English poets—including Elisa Biagini and Julia Bolton Holloway—who will each read a piece of their original verse as well as a poem by a chosen author in the setting of Florence’s historical “English Cemetery,” piazzale Donatello 38 (5:30 pm). The selections have been chosen to create a dialogue with celebrated foreign residents whose families chose the setting as a [...]
SEPTEMBER IN PIAZZA DELLA PASSERA. Jazz Festival. Free entry. Though this is the event’s 18th rendition, 2019 is ushering in some really major new changes for the September in Piazza della Passera jazz festival. This year’s performances will not unfold in Piazza della Passera exclusively; concerts will alternate between the original space and a new one, the Piazzetta dello Sprone, a few steps away. Spread out over four days, this edition is dedicated to the [...]
Sat. 7: RIFICOLONA (Paper Lantern Festival). History provides the cornerstone, like the one placed on September 8, 1296 for the Florence Cathedral (Duomo), underlying Florence’s annual Rificolona (Feast of Lights) festivities. During the Renaissance, Tuscan farmers and shepherds would arrive in Florence on the evening of Sept. 7 Often traveling from the countryside and mountains at night, lanterns (rificolone) provided visibility for their path. The pilgrims would congregate in Piazza Santissima Annunziata (Holy Annunication [...]
Wednesday 28 – Saturday 31: New Generation Festival Corsini Garden, Via della Scala. 7:30 pm. Prices vary. It’s the epitome of a fairytale dream: A fancy dinner in an elegant garden owned by a princess to the tune of a classical orchestra. New and rising stars in the music and culinary worlds will debut at this beautiful space for the New Generation Festival. Opening night features a performance of “Le Nozze di Figaro,” directed by [...]
Until September 22: DANCE STEPS: ISADORA DUNCAN AND THE FIGURATIVE ARTS IN ITALY AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY Villa Bardini, 10 am – 7 pm, €10. Stefano Bardini Museum, Monday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 11 am – 5 pm. Free admission on August 18 and 25 to the show and the garden; entrance €7, on other days. Artwork of the dancer Isadora Duncan might capture the woman herself, but never her character, especially when [...]
The Ferragosto summer holiday, which is in honor of the Assumption of Mary on August 15, is the official break between Easter and Christmas in Italy; as Italians across the country head to the beach, it will be challenging to find open shops and restaurants. Unless, of course, you’re looking in downtown Florence. A Florence Ferragosto offers free admission to the San Marco museum (piazza San Marco 3), where guests can admire the [...]
The theme this week in Florence is “War and Peace.” The city will be commemorating its 75th anniversary of liberation from Nazi and Fascist forces during World War II. On August 8 (7:30 pm), speeches will be given and a wreath will be laid on the plaque in Piazza Santo Spirito honoring Aligi “Potente” Barducci, partisan commander of the Arno Division which would enter Florence ahead of the Allied armies. Potente was mortally [...]
The Florence Dance Festival, held at the Cloister of Santa Maria Novella, draws to a close with a bang, presenting a week of performances by the Compagnia Zappalà Danza, Fabula Saltica and the long-awaited grand finale of the Russian State Ballet, teeming with young stars and talent. Tuesday, July 30, 9.30 pm Sicilian dance company Zappalà Danza brings to the festival a show that Roberto Zappalà himself has been developing for 10 years. [...]
The penultimate week of the Florence Dance Festival welcomes one of the most talented male ballet dancers the world has ever seen, on a par with the likes of Nijinsky, Baryshnikov and Nureyev. Despite his polarising character and scandalous behaviour that have made his professional trajectory far from straightforward, Sergei Polunin will go down in history as one of the greatest ballet dancers, making his appearance at the Florence Dance Festival a must-see [...]
Monday, July 15, 9.30 pm To open its third week, the Florence Dance Festival will host an evening entitled ‘Spotlight on Choreography’ that will showcase the unique choreographic visions of three world-renowned dancers. The first of the trio is Italo-Finnish dancer and choreographer Irina Baldini who will perform ‘7 ways to begin without knowing where to start,’ a show presented at the Biennale Danza di Venezia 2017 and 2018. The piece explores of [...]
