At the end of this article is a complete schedule of October dates when no-cost access to Florence’s state run-museums. As decreed by former Minister of Culture Alberto Bonisoli, the 2019 agenda has substituted the former first Sunday free museum day. Tourists who happen to be in town on those days are sure to be pleasantly surprised, which may have been a consideration given the long lines on the former well-established and easy-to-remember [...]
The musicians of the Tuscan Regional Orchestra (ORT) will return to the Abbey of San Miniato al Monte above Piazzale Michelangelo for two classical music evenings on Friday, September 27 and Saturday, September 28 at 9:30 pm. The series was put together by young composer, Beatrice Venezi, and the choice of music was meant to match the atmospheric setting. Guests can enjoy the performances for free, though availability is limited; seating is first [...]
An internationally renowned German boys’ choir will give a free concert at the Duomo, the Cathedral of the Santa Maria del Fiore on Thursday, September 12 at starting at 9:15 pm. Founded in 1956, Tölzer Knabenchor is an award-winning choir comprised of 28 boys based in Munich that presents more than 200 concerts a year and opera productions. The ensemble is returning to Florence scene after a 15 year absence thanks to 2019 [...]
The Pitti Palace museums and the Boboli Gardens are offering an open day with free access to its treasures on Tuesday, August 27. The event will celebrate the anniversary of the founding of Grand Duchy of Tuscany, precursor of today’s region, on the date in 1569, when Cosimo I de’ Medici was crowned Grand Duke. This was the immediate sequel to Florence’s conquest of Siena, which was the obstacle in the creation of [...]
All the museums in the Pitti Palace, along with the Boboli Gardens, will be accessible at no cost on Sunday, August 4 to commemorate the date in 1944 when the Germans retreated from Florence. To slow an Allied pursuit, they mined all the bridges except Ponte Vecchio and several medieval streets, such as Por Santa Maria and via de’ Bardi, leaving destruction and chaos behind them. Florentines who lost their homes or simply [...]
July 10, 11 & 12: FESTIVAL AU DESERT. Cascine Park, Florence. Free admission. It may seem like Florence is already feeling the heat of the desert, but now, the city will be treated to the corresponding sounds: the Festival au Desert, a diverse, multifaceted affair devoted to Arab language and music, is back for the 10th time to celebrate the manifold traditions and identities in Arab culture. The annual event creates a space [...]
Divine worship and cultural exchange collide in the Duomo with the “Baroque Musical Treasures Between the Old and New Worlds” concert this Wednesday, July 3, at 9:15 pm. Part of this year’s O Flos Colende, an annual series of religious music concerts now in its 23rd edition, this week’s show will feature music from the 17th and 18th centuries performed by the award-winning Spanish orchestra Al Ayre Español. The compositions are primarily by [...]
Listen to the beautiful voices of St. Mark’s choir, the Russian Orthodox choir, and other musical vocalists from various churches around Florence as they come together on June 30 at the Basilica of San Lorenzo to perform Firenze Canta Rachmaninov, Op.37. This free concert, which starts at 9:15 pm, is a rendition of Rachmaninoff’s acclaimed work All-Night Vigil, also known as Vespers, which will be performed as an interfaith celebration. The program will [...]
FESTIVAL DELLE ORCHESTRE GIOVANILI (F.O.G. or Florence Youth Orchestra Festival). June 23 — August 20. Free entrance. More information here. The 21st annual Florence Youth Festival will commence on Sunday, June 23 — the start of two months of celebration of music, young people, and Italy. To launch the festivities, the Sandnes Ung Symfoni, a youth orchestra from Sandnes, Norway, will play in Piazza della Signoria at 9:15 pm. The members are all [...]
Wed. June 5: GREAT AMERICAN CHORAL SERIES. Santa Croce. 8 pm. Free entrance. Choruses from across the United States are making their debut in one of the greatest churches in Florence. In a night dedicated to classical music, the Florence Chamber Orchestra will be performing in tandem with American choirs to make enchanting music. The set list this year is primarily based off of Ludwig van Beethoven with a singular piece by Franz [...]