December 16, 2024

What to do this week in Florence and surroundings

Events, exhibitions and highlights from 16 to 22 December

Art, concerts, shows and good food. Here are the events not to be missed this week in and around Florence.

Florence Lights Up

From 7 December to 7 January 2025, the City of Florence and Fondazione MUS.E, in collaboration with the Metropolitan City of Florence and with the financial support of the Ministry of Tourism, will light up the city with Florence Lights Up, a spin-off of the Christmas initiatives dedicated to light. Video-mapping is back on Ponte Vecchio, enchanting citizens and visitors to the city over the Christmas period. The same goes for the facades of Palazzo Vecchio and the church of San Paolino. Light also in Piazza Santa Maria Novella, on the façade of the Chamber of Commerce, and in the Medici Riccardi Palace's Medici Garden: here, while the orange trees, the statues and the Limonaia will come to life thanks to light effects, it will be possible to admire a special Christmas Tree.

Mavra/Gianni Schicchi at Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

The diptych is staged at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino from Dec. 15 to Dec. 22. I. Stravinsky's Mavra is a one-act comic opera with a libretto by Boris Kochno, based on Pushkin's novella entitled The Little House of Kolomna, while Gianni Schicchi, the last of the three one-acts that make up Puccini's Triptych, tells the rocambolic story of the title character, a Florentine rascal mentioned by Dante in the Divine Comedy for forging a will

Dream Gospel Choir at the Verdi Theater

“Amazing Grace,” ‘When The Saints,’ ‘Oh Happy Day’... It's a wonderful journey through the magic of Christmas in music and the tradition of American gospel music that the Dream Gospel Choir offers on Thursday, December 19 at 8:45 p.m. at the Verdi Theater. Formed by singers from the traditional scene and the best musicians from New York's Black Churches, the Dream Gospel Choir is considered by critics to be the most interesting choir of the new scene in Harlem, the beating heart and worldwide cradle of gospel.

Gianna Nannini in concert at Mandela Forum

Gianna Nannini takes the stage at the Mandela Forum on Wednesday, December 18, as part of the Sei nell'anima Tour - European Leg 2024.

Lago dei Cigni at Teatro della Pergola

Swan Lake, the most exciting and acclaimed of 19th century classical ballets, will be staged on 22 December 2024 in the splendid setting of the Teatro della Pergola in Florence. The Ballet of the Romanian National Opera of Iasi, with the participation of Viviana Olaru, recognised worldwide as an International Etoile, will make this date an appointment not to be missed. Mused by Petr Tchaikovsky between 1875 and 1876, the first performance took place at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow on 20 February 1877. With this version, the Iasi Opera Ballet wanted to keep intact the original choreography by Parius Petipa and Lev Ivanov created for the Mariinsky Theatre back in 1895. The sets are reminiscent of the Russian Imperial Court of that period, the scenes of Act I and Act III are in a classical fairy-tale, almost magical style, while Act II and Act IV, the lake, have a mystical, lunar ambience. Two performances are staged: afternoon performance at 5 p.m. and evening performance at 9 p.m. For information: 334 1891173.

Mamme a metà at the Goldoni Theater

Mamme a metà is the new production of the Women's Theater that is presented, in its national premiere, Saturday, Dec. 21 at the Goldoni Theater, as part of AvampostiTeatro Festival 2024. On stage Elena Miranda with live music by Lisa Santinelli, directed by Gabriele Giaffreda. Tickets from 5 to 15 euros. A Christmas toast with the artists is planned at the end of the performance.

Orchestra della Toscana Christmas Concert at the Verdi Theater

On Tuesday, Dec. 24, at 5 p.m., the Orchestra of Tuscany with principal conductor Diego Ceretta offers the Christmas Concert at Teatro Verdi. On the program are Richard Wagner's Siegfried's Idyll, by the same composer-opening Träume and concluding with Ludwig van Beethoven's Seventh Symphony.

Konzert Opera Florence: Valeria La Grotta and La Confraternita de' Musici at Santa Felicita

On Sunday, Dec. 22 at 9 p.m. in the Chapter House of Santa Felicita, Konzert Opera Florence presents soprano Valeria La Grotta in concert with La Confraternita de' Musici (Cosimo Prontera, conductor, organ and harpsichord; Fabio De Leonardis, cello; Raffaele Tiseo and Federico Valerio, violins), for Divine Beauties. Neapolitan motets for solo voice and continuo, with music by Leonardo Leo, Nicola Fago, Pietro Marchitelli, Nicola Antonio Porpora.

Fast Animals and Slow Kids at Teatro Cartiere Carrara

Perugia-based band Fast Animals And Slow Kids in concert Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 9 p.m. at the Cartiere Carrara Theater.

In Collezione 2024, nuove visite guidate gratuite alla Fondazione Cr Firenze

The Art Collection of the Fondazione CR Firenze reopens to the public: until Dec. 22, the free activities of the In Collezione program return, allowing visitors to admire works by Giotto, Filippino Lippi, Vasari, Giovanni Fattori, Primo Conti and many others at the Foundation's headquarters.