Florence is preparing for a weekend of celebration. We need to celebrate mothers on Sunday, perhaps by taking them to “Barberino in fiore”, dragging them to the Renaissance Festival of Pontassieve or ferrying them to the nineteenth century, while the historical procession that brings to life the inauguration of the Central Market starts from Piazza della Signoria. There are also musical parties, for the thirtieth anniversary of two songs that made history: “Cinque days” and “Jealousy”. Michele Zarrillo brings the “Five days for 30 years” tour to the Verdi in Florence. Dirotta su Cuba, revived by singer Simona Bencini, will start «Gelosia 30 Bday – Let’s celebrate Tour» on Friday at the Viper, right in the city where they took off.
Lots of music also for the actors on stage this weekend: there are those who are dealing with Elvis and those with Mortina, for two musicals not to be missed. Poetry with Pessoa at the Pergola, in Robert Wilson’s show, and with amazing pianists who perform between the Sala Vanni and the Belvedere Terrace of the Bardini Garden. Here you are our proposals for the Florentine weekendor, with the reporting of three art exhibitions.
Concerts
Diverts to Cuba: 30 years of “Jealousy”
The Dirottas on Cuba take off again from Florence, where it all began. Friday evening at the Viper Theater (9pm) the first concert of the «Gelosia 30 Bday – Let’s celebrate Tour». The band that launched acid jazz and funk in Italian in the 90s, reconstituted after many vicissitudes by Simona Bencini, initially a chorister and then a soloist, celebrates 30 years of its most famous song with a celebratory concert, in which the co-founder Rossano Gentili. The next stages of the tour are still top secret, preceded by the release of a vinyl LP, which contains the original version of “Jealousy”, the Max Baffa remix released only on vinyl in 1995, the 2016 version with the intro by Nari per Caso and the new remix by Tommy Vee. Tickets (single seat 25 euros including presale rights) are available on www.ticketone.it and in Box Office Toscana sales points (www.boxofficetoscana.it/punti-vendita) .
Michele Zarrillo: Five days at the Verdi in Florence
Michele Zarrillo on stage at the Teatro Verdi in Florence, Friday 10th, for the “Five days for 30 years” tour with which he celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of his most beloved song, which ranked in fourth place at the 44th Sanremo Festival. After Fiorello and Laura Pausini, who covered it in 1995 and 2006 respectively, last year the version with Will won over young people on social media. And Zarrillo got another gold record. Seats numbered from 29.90 to 69 euros. www.teatroverdionline.it
The poets of the solo piano: 4 days of world-class pianists
After the inauguration in the Sala del Paradiso of the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo of Florence, on Thursday 9th with the only Italian date of the Omer Klein concert, the “I poeti del piano solo” festival continues until Sunday in various spaces of the city organized by Musicus Concentus in collaboration with the Something Like This Association. Second appointment on Friday 10th in Sala Vanni (9.15pm) with another Italian absolute: the concert by Grégory Privat, son of the pianist José Privat, who in 2002 published “Yonn”, his first solo piano album. On Saturday 11th, again in Sala Vanni (9pm), Fred Hersch, 15 times Grammy nominee, plays with the first national presentation of “Silent, Listening”, his latest album released with ECM Records. The event ends on Sunday 12th (6pm) on the Belvedere Terrace of the Bardini Garden with Stefania Tallini. Tickets for each concert: 13 euros http://www.musicusconcentus.com
Theater
Elvis, the musical at the Teatro Verdi in Florence
Get ready to dance: “Elvis, the musical” returns to the Teatro Verdi in Florence, Saturday 11th (8.45pm) and Sunday 12th (4.45pm). After its international success, the acclaimed show that debuted in 2017, on the fortieth anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley, universally recognized as the king of rock’n’roll, returns to Italy. The musical is directed and written by Maurizio Colombi, who will be on stage at the Puccini Theater on Saturday 11th for the 28th performance of “Caveman, the caveman”, with Rob Becker’s monologue being the protagonist. Tickets from 25 to 37 euros. www.teatroverdifirenze.it
Pessoa by Robert Wilson
The performances of «Pessoa. Since I’ve been», the new show by Robert Wilson inspired by Fernando Pessoa and produced by Pergola of Florence and Théâtre de la Ville of Paris for the joint project “The European Actress and Actor”. The penultimate staging, Saturday 11th (9pm), ideally closes the day of “La Pergola in piazza”, which includes free access activities, from 3pm to 8pm, between the Piazza della SS. Annunziata and the cloister of the former monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli. Tickets: audience €35/22; stage €29/18; gallery €19/13 www.teatrodellatoscana.it
Mortina – a musical that will make you laugh
Sunday 12th at the Teatro Cartiere Carrara, in double repeat (3.30pm and 6pm), “Mortina – a musical that will make you die laughing”, taken from the very successful series by the author and illustrator Barbara Cantini. Children and adults will enjoy visiting Villa Decadente, and getting to know the exuberant Mortina up close who, together with her faithful friend Mesto, Zia Dipartita and other bizarre characters, will transport you into a world (against all expectations) full of life . A Compagnia delle Formiche and Teatro Verdi Montecatini Terme production. Tickets starting from 22 euros www.teatrocartierecarrara.it
Markets and traditions
Historical procession from Piazza della Signoria
The historical procession commemorating the inauguration of the Central Market of Florence, which took place in 1874, starts on Saturday 11th at 11am from Piazza della Signoria. The city will find itself catapulted into the past as they parade through Via dei Calzaiuoli, Piazza San Giovanni, Borgo San Lorenzo, Piazza San Lorenzo and Via dell’Ariento the extras in Garibaldian clothes, organized by the Flag Wavers and Musicians of the Signoria association. The inevitable Banner will reach the Historic Central Market, where there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Followed by a performance of dances to music of the time by the Compagnia della Bizzarria d’Amore with the collaboration of the historian Ricciardo Artusi.
Renaissance festival
In Pontassieve, from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th, there is the Renaissance Festival, with horses, knights, market, games, barbecues in parade squares and much more to let even the little ones know “what clothes they wore” in that time in Pontassieve. Opening on Friday at the Teatro Cinema Italia (9.15 pm) with the awarding of the San Michele Arcangelo Award and the Florentine Stornelli by Cecco & Baracca. Highlight moment, Saturday 11th in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, with the traditional Assault on the Castle of the Fire Artists (10.30 pm).
Charity market in Impruneta: recycling and solidarity
Piazza Buondelmonti in Impruneta, Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th from 9am to 7pm hosts the XXXIV Market organized by the La Barazzina cultural association: a second-hand bazaar, with vintage toys, books, costume jewellery, pottery and fabrics. All proceeds from sales will be donated to charity to support the association’s projects.
Barberino in bloom
Spring blooms with “Barberino in fiore”, an exhibition-market which on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th transforms the castle of Barberino Val d’Elsa into a garden. The floral event, promoted and organized by the economic operators of Barberino Val d’Elsa, brings roses, flowers and plants to the medieval garden of Valdelsa, but also to the thousand-year-old architecture, the alleys, the arches and the small squares of the historic centre. Also on sale are artisanal artefacts and contemporary works of art, wines and typical local products. Among the new features is the presence of some ‘flowery’ vintage cars and motorbikes.
Exhibitions
Welcome to Barerarerungar
“Welcome to Barerarerungar” is being developed between the MAD Murate Art District and the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnology-University Museum System, the first monographic exhibition by the indigenous Australian artist Maree Clarke in a European public institution. The exhibition, curated by Valentina Gensini and Renata
Summo O’Connell and produced by Mus.E on the occasion of the centenary of the Florentine University, presents site-specific works created by Clarke during his residency at Mad, which activate a dialogue with the city and its river. While the works exhibited in the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnology observe the visitor from the museum itself as if to reclaim the history of Oceania. Open until July 28th.
At the Museo Novecento the exhibition “Returns. From Modigliani to Morandi”
The Museo Novecento celebrates ten years since its inauguration by hosting “Returns. From Modigliani to Morandi”, a major exhibition dedicated to the history of one of its most prized collections: the Alberto Della Ragione Collection. The exhibition, conceived by Sergio Risaliti, curated by Eva Francioli, Chiara Toti and the director of the Museo Novecento himself, remains until 15 September in the rooms of the former Leopoldine on the second floor of the museum. Open every day (except Thursday) 11am/8pm www.museonovecento.it
“Pino Pascali. Draw a photograph”
At the Fritelli Gallery The Frittelli contemporary art gallery hosts the exhibition “Pino Pascali. Drawing a photograph” edited by Roberto Lacarbonara. The recent discovery of the entire sequence of original drawings of Intermezzo 23 – an animated short drawn by Pascali for the production company Lodolo Film in 1966 and intended for the newborn advertising container of the second Rai channel entitled Intermezzo – is at the origin of this exhibition which, for the first time, brings together the entire cycle of conception, design and graphic development of the film, displaying 51 scenes, entirely reconstructed, composed of acrylic paints on acetate and graphite on paper. Open until June 30th; from Monday to Friday 10am/1pm and 3pm/6pm; Saturday, Sunday and holidays by appointment.
www.frittelliarte.it
