After a busy summer of outdoor music festivals throughout the region, the classical music scene returns to Florence’s center stage. The Teatro del Maggio spotlights opera productions, the Orchestra della Toscana (ORT) focuses on symphonic concerts, and Amici della Musica organizes Florence’s premier chamber music series, held as always in the 17th-century gem Teatro della Pergola. MAGGIO THEATRE The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino opens its 2019-2020 opera season with a rarity, Fernand Cortez by [...]
NYU Florence (Via Bolognese 120, bus 25 from San Marco) will be offering the public free guided tours of the magnificent palace, Villa La Pietra, and the beautiful, adjacent gardens for six days: Monday, October 7 through Saturday, October 12. The visits are available in English and Italian, by appointment only; to reserve a spot call 055/5007210 or send an email to villa.lapietra@nyu.edu. Arthur Acton, a descendent of an Anglo-Italian family, purchased the [...]
This week brings Florence’s L’Eredità delle Donne (The Legacy of Women), a festival devoted to the celebration and empowerment of women, whose contributions have been historically overlooked. By incorporating a variety of media, the initiative’s series of events seeks to disseminate a philosophy around the city and engage with the public, creating an atmosphere of inclusivity during its three-day run. Oct. 4, 5, 6: L’EREDITA’ DELLE DONNE, festival highlighting women’s contributions to the [...]
The Biennale Internazionale dell’Antiquariato is expanding its repertoire. This edition, inaugurated on September 21, celebrates 60 years of the event, the first of its kind in Europe. For the special occasion, antiques dealers from across the world will be putting never-before-seen pieces on display in the grand setting of Palazzo Corsini, via del Parione 11. In the spirit of the inextricable link between antiquity and the arts, the Antiques Fair is simultaneously orchestrating Florence [...]
It’s uncommon for a Florentine festival to focus on contemporary art, but then again, Firenze Suona Contemporanea is no ordinary festival. Created in 2008 with the mission of combining music and art through new experimentation, Firenze Suona Contemporanea returns for its 11th edition through September 27 with a series of exhibitions, installations and concerts across four locations: The Museum of 20th Century Art (Museo Novecento); the Tepidarium, a massive, Art Deco greenhouse in [...]
Now that residents are returning to Florence after their summer vacation, you might be looking for a nice place to relax with a cold drink. Here are two summer cool spots we’ve scouted, Villa Vittoria and OFF Bar, and our thoughts about what they have to offer. VILLA VITTORIA Viale Filippo Strozzi, 2. Open from 7 pm to 3 am every day except for Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when it is closed. Free entry. [...]
To escape the grueling queues outside city museums under the August sun, seek out unique Florence summer exhibitions off the beaten path: graphic design at Palazzo Medici Riccardi; photography at Museo degli Innocenti; and paintings at the Horne. Until October 20: OBEY. MAKE ART NOT WAR Palazzo Medici Riccardi. Open 9 am – 7 pm every day except Wednesdays. Considering the current political climate in the United States, the knowledge that Barack Obama was [...]
Florence has long been heralded as the city so astronomically rich in cultural value that it can be likened to a living, breathing museum. It’s newest project affirms this assertion — the city’s historical defense system, consisting of towers, gates, and fortresses, is now open for tours and visits. The network of structures was born a very long time ago, around 1284, under the instruction of the Signoria di Firenze, the council that [...]
A place for people to take a break from the cobbled streets and the busy crowds, Giardino dell’Orticoltura (via Vittorio Emmanuele II 4) offers Florentines and travelers an escape. Giardino dell’Orticoltura (Horticultural Garden) is open year-round, but from May through September, it becomes Giardino Artecultura (Articultural Garden) to provide the perfect summer relaxation spot. A key part of the annual Giardino Artecultura calendar is Tuttapposto a Ferragosto, a series of musical performances dedicated [...]
Until Sept. 30: Flower. Piazzale Michelangelo. Flower, a cute cafe-style space overlooking Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo, is the venue for three simultaneous series running from now through September: Radio-style talk shows; book presentations; and live jazz concerts. All events will be run in a sustainable fashion, attempting to leave absolutely no negative environmental impact. Flower’s 100% Tuscan menu, enjoyed under a view of Michelangelo’s David, complements the experience. Controradio, a Florentine radio station [...]
