November 18, 2024

What to do this week in Florence and surroundings

Events, exhibitions and highlights from 18 to 24 November

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

La Traviata at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

After the great success of the performances of Madama Butterfly, the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino's autumn programme continues: on the bill, again in the theatre's Sala Grande, is another of the best-loved opera titles of all time; Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata. Six performances are scheduled: on 19, 21, 26 and 30 November at 8 pm and on 24 November and 1 December at 3.30 pm. On the podium, conducting the Maggio Orchestra and Chorus is Maestro Renato Palumbo. The direction is by Stefania Grazioli, the maestro of the Maggio Chorus is Lorenzo Fratini. Here the entire Maggio Musicale Fiorentino programme.

Firenze Marathon 2024

The 40th edition of the Firenze Marathon takes place on 24 November. With an evocative route through the heart of the city, touching historical monuments such as the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio, this marathon is an unmissable event for running enthusiasts and the perfect occasion to combine sport and culture.

White Truffle Exhibition 2024 in San Miniato

On the weekends of 23-24 November and 30 November-1 December, San Miniato (located between Empoli and Pisa, to find out more click here), is the Italian capital of the White Truffle. The city is transformed into an open-air taste laboratory, where internationally renowned chefs combine zero-kilometre organic products with the best traditional recipes for new culinary experiences and trends.

Festival di Cinema e Donne at Cinema La Compagnia

From 20 to 24 November, in the programme of the 50 Days of Cinema in Florence and in the programme of La Toscana delle donne (The Tuscany of Women), there will be the Cinema and Women Festival, one of the longest-running festivals on the Italian film scene, which for 45 years has been telling the world through the eyes of women. For five days, the Cinema La Compagnia, offers a wide-ranging programme of films, with 21 titles from 19 countries, together with special events and meetings, giving the opportunity to explore the contribution of women to international cinematography, with a special focus on the new generations of female directors and authors. The Festival of Cinema and Women is held in close connection with La Toscana delle Donne, a project of the Region of Tuscany for the valorisation of the female role in the most diverse social spheres (16 - 26 November. www.regione.toscana.it) and wants to celebrate the World Day against Violence against Women on 25 November. Precisely on 25 November, La Compagnia, in direct connection with the Festival, will host a day of events dedicated to the celebrated theme, which is of pressing topical interest today: among the scheduled guests are the actress Katia Beni, the director and actress Emanuela Mascherini, and the journalist and writer Antonella Matranga, who will present her book Vite in tempesta (Lives in a Storm), introduced by the journalist Elisabetta Berti.

Theatrical journey in the Basilica of Santo Spirito

On Saturday 23 November and Saturday 7 December, with a double evening performance at 8.30 and 9.30 p.m., the Compagnia delle Seggiole proposes Che nel mondo non se trova una simile, an exclusive theatrical journey inside the Basilica of Santo Spirito in Florence.

Michela Giraud at Viper Theatre

Already sold out is the double date with Michela Giraud for her new show Mi hanno gettata in mezzo ai lupi e non ne sono uscito capobranco scheduled for 24 and 25 November at the Viper Theatre.

Sacrarmonia. Antonella Ruggiero, Arkè String Quartet and the Musical Chapel of Florence Cathedral in concert

Thursday, Nov. 21, at 9:15 p.m., in Florence Cathedral the appointment is with an original concert featuring Antonella Ruggiero, Arkè String Quartet and the Musical Chapel of Florence Cathedral performing for the first time in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. A great event that further consolidates the collaboration between Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore and Musicus Concentus on concerts designed specifically for this extraordinary venue. Sacrarmonia is a program of famous and celebrated hymns, but also of newly blossomed prayers and quiet, intense songs that are meant to call to a different idea of music than the one that has prevailed in recent years: an idea of serenity, of inner clarity. Admission is free with reservations required starting Nov. 14 at 9:30 a.m. at this link.

La prova di Bruno Fornasari al Teatro Puccini

On Thursday 21 November, at 9 p.m., at the Teatro Puccini, the Teatro Filodrammatici in Milan will stage the play La prova by Bruno Fornasari with Tommaso Amadio, Marta Belloni, Camilla Pistorello and Michele Radice.

Dioggene con Stefano Fresi in scena al Teatro Puccini

On Friday 22 November, at 9 pm, the Teatro Puccini will stage Dioggene with Stefano Fresi, written and directed by Giacomo Battiato. The event takes place as part of the Visioni d'Autunno (Autumn Visions) review with the contribution of the Autunno Fiorentino 2024 of the Municipality of Florence and MIC Direzione Generale Spettacolo.

Brevissime, arts history lessons start at the Auditorium

The next Brevissime events will be held at the Uffizi Galleries. For the next two seasons entitled The Insatiable Desire. History and Stories of Collecting (September-November 2024 and March-May 2025), Brevissime will be hosted in the Antonio Paolucci Auditorium. Archaeologist Anna Anguissola will focus on the collections of the Romans (Nov. 21), and Luca Scarlini, eclectic writer and scholar, will conclude the season with a lecture on the dissipation of collections (Nov. 28). Tickets for the lectures can be purchased at www.brevissime.org. Full ticket:13€; Under26 ticket: 5€; Free ticket: there are complimentary tickets, donated by other participants, intended for the under-26s, which can be reserved on the website under “Suspended Ticket.”

Santi Francesi atViper Theatre

On Tuesday 26 November, at 21.00, the Santi Francesi come in concert for a leg of their new Club Tour at the Viper Theatre.

Mascarade Opera: Canzoni d'esperienza at Palazzo Corsini

Songs of Experience, a unique opportunity to admire live the talent of Julia Lynch and James Platt, world-famous artists, who will perform a recital of chamber arias. The event produced and promoted by the Mascarade Opera Foundation will take place on Thursday 21 November at 7 p.m. in the prestigious venue of Palazzo Corsini. Spectators will be able to appreciate the extraordinary talent of the two protagonists and relive the emotions of arias by Modest Petrovic Mussorgsky and Ralph Vaughan-Williams. Tickets can be purchased directly on the foundation's website https://mascaradeopera.com.

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.

Peter Hammill at Teatro Puccini

On Wednesday 20 November, at 9 p.m., Peter Hammill, one of the founding fathers of British prog rock with his Van der Graaf Generator, arrives in concert with his Solo Tour at the Teatro Puccini.

Giorgio Vasari at Palazzo Vecchio

Until Dec. 29, every Sunday at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. in the Museo di Palazzo Vecchio, visitors can participate in the theatricalized guided tours entitled Guided by Giorgio Vasari. In parallel, every Saturday from Sept. 28 to Dec. 21, at 11:30 a.m., the Museo di Palazzo Vecchio hosts theatricalized readings from Giorgio Vasari's celebrated Lives of the Most Excellent Architects, Painters and Sculptors. Notable among the events are narratives dedicated to figures such as Donatello (on Oct. 12), Domenico Ghirlandaio (on Oct. 19) and Leonardo da Vinci (on Oct. 26). The series will continue in November and December with other great Renaissance artists, concluding on Dec. 21 with a tribute to Giorgio Vasari himself. Each event will last about an hour and a quarter. For information and reservations: info@musefirenze.it or 055 2768224

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.