The Inauguration of the ‘Note al Museo’ Free Concert Series

Florence’s first “Note al Museo” concert will be held Oct. 25 in the Sala del Paradiso of the Cathedral Museum (Museo dell’Opera del Duomo), the venue for all the performances. This free annual series, which regularly sells out available seating, started with the inauguration of the new museum in 2015 and has attracted many music lovers for the high artistic quality, variety, and individuality.

The performances, which all take place at 9 pm, are no charge to the public, but require a reservation starting one week in advance either on line or in person at the Centro Arte e Cultura (piazza San Giovanni 7) from 9 am to 12 noon starting on the Thursday the week preceding the event.

Festival director Francesco Ermini Polacci chose to kick off with a bang. The first recital, on Oct. 25, will feature the respected and internationally renowned Il Giardino Armonico conducted by Giovanni Antonini who will also be the flute soloist. The ensemble plays period music on 17th and 18th century instruments. Il Gardino Armonico and Antonini took part in the inaugural performance for the Museo dell’Opera and are excited about coming back after being enchanted by the beauty of the venue the first time around. Their program, named Da Venezia a Napoli (From Venice to Naples) will be a journey of places associated with the history of the baroque instrumental music. 

Il Giardino Armonico will interpret well-known works by Vivaldi, Gesualdo Prince of Venosa, and less-known, but equally noteworthy, Neapolitan composers Pietro Marchitelli and Nicola Fiorenza, who have written concerts and sonatas combining classical and local folk and popular music.

The schedule of the following performances:  

Thursday, Nov. 22: World-renowned cellist Christophe Coin will play a selection of compositions from the 17th century to today, including Bach

Thursday, Dec. 13: The evening features a tribute to Rossini by the musicians of Red4Quartet, composed of four women.

Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019: La Fonte Musica, directed by Michele Pasotti, will give a rendition of selected works of late medieval music composed in the era of the museum’s Luca della Robbia and Donatello choirs.

Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019: For their Italian premiere, the Confluentes Ensemble will present 19th and 20th century music from Europe and the New World.

Thursday, Mar. 22, 2019: For the final concert, the Accademia Mandolinistica Napoletana will play Florentine mandolin music from the 18th and 19th centuries.