CHARITY/ Run for Meyer Virtual Challenge
July 9-12
Motivation to move
Get moving for Meyer! The challenge is to run 5km, whenever and wherever you want, with every step supporting the Play Therapy activities for children at the Meyer Hospital in Florence. A minimum donation of 10 euro is required to participate and an additional 5 euro will have a courier sprinting directly to your door with the official #runformeyer t-shirt, thanks to the Guess Foundation. Lockdown has seen a surge in those itching to put on running shoes and get moving, so now you have extra motivation! The three fastest runners will be revealed on the tds.sport website, where everyone can consult their times. Winners will also be revealed for the three most comic runners, the three most generous and the three largest groups. Registration (open until midday, July 12) allows you to download the CVRace app for free on Google Play and Apple Stores, which will track your distance and time. The official results will be published on the #runformeyer Facebook page and website.
NOTES/ 21st International Italian Brass Week Festival
July 19-26
Bringing the best of brass
Music lovers all over the world unite for the 21st edition of the festival dedicated to the best of brass, this year titled A Cosmic Breath: a virtual festival with real musicians. All events will be online only, with Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino acting as the stage for many of the performances. Eighty international soloists and renowned orchestras, such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Berliner Philharmoniker, surround you in music in the comfort of your own home. Masterclasses run by top educators will take place daily via Zoom, all for free and with no restriction on the number of participants. Created and directed by Luca Benucci, the festival will feature nuggets on food and wine from well-known names Leonardo Romanelli, Danilo Pirrone, Luisanna Messeri and Iginio Massari, as well as daily art-inserts to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Raphael. Brass not your thing? Electronic music and DJ sets make this a multi-genre music fest. Full programme available here.
EXHIBITION/ Peterson-Lavine, Come as you are, Kurt Cobain and the Grunge Revolution
Copyright Michael Lavine
Inaugurated last March but closed immediately, the eagerly awaited reopening of the photographic exhibition is finally here. From July 2 until October 18, over 80 works by Michael Lavine and Charles Peterson depict the history of the grunge music scene and its hero, Kurt Cobain. Curated by ONO contemporary art, the exhibition is organized and promoted by OEO Firenze Art and Le Nozze di Figaro, in collaboration with MUS.E and with the patronage of the Metropolitan City of Florence and the Municipality of Florence. Opening hours are from 10.30am-6.30pm.
Palazzo Medici Riccardi,
via Cavour, 1, Florence
LITERARY/ La città dei lettori
August 27-30
Words up high
The scenic setting of Villa Bardini sees literary legends read their works and bring the terrace alive with reading highlights. Directed by Gabriele Ametrano, the cerebral fest takes place two months later than originally planned, but brings its wordy marvels to the villa nonetheless. The winners of the exclusive Premio Strega literary awards are set to perform as well as not-yet-released previews of the best books to come this year. Chill out spaces to sit and read in the sunshine and dedicated children’s events are all revealed here.
Villa Bardini, Florence
EXHIBITION/ Stories of Painted Pages
Until October 4
Precious pages
Thieves and leaves (of paper!) come to Palazzo Pitti for this discovery-filled collection of precious volumes and miniatures stolen and then recovered by the Carabinieri art department. The stories behind the police force’s investigation into the works accompany each treasured object as the 40 exhibits become characters in their own crime thriller, which also maps the history of book production in Italy. Art historians and graduates from the University of Florence are behind the show, with the expertise of Professor Sonia Chiodo. Accompanying the exhibition are interactive illustrations by Vanna Vinci created with touch technology, making real the places and main characters of these fascinating stories that cause us to reflect on people’s respect (or lack of it) for culture. Open from 8.30am-1.30pm, entrance is included in Palazzo Pitti tickets. See here for more details.
Sala delle Nicchie, Palazzo Pitti
LIVE STREAM / Hershey Felder: Beethoven
July 12, 5pm PDT / 7pm CDT / 8pm EDT
Performed live from Florence
Actor, playwright and pianist Hershey Felder will be performing Beethoven in live streaming on July 12, following the success of Irving Berlin: Live from Florence during the lockdown from the performer’s residence in Florence, which raised significant funds for 13 US theatres and arts organizations. The new arts broadcasting company, Hershey Felder Presents – Live from Florence, unites Felder with The Florentine as media partner, Tuscan cinema group Montagni Audiovisivi and American broadcaster Rich Flier to produce quality streaming arts programming for international audiences. Tickets ($55 per household) are available for purchase here: theflr.net/hershey-felder-beethoven. A portion of ticket sales will be donated to US arts organizations and creative artists.
LA DOLCE VITA / Outdoor hangouts
Until September
Sweet summer spots
As we go to press, outdoor spaces are sprouting all over the city as Florentines of all ages socialize on long, balmy summer nights. Anconella Garden, on the east side, blends music (Thursdays to Sundays), yoga (Monday to Wednesday) and food thanks to the cultural programming of Diramazioni Festival. A cultural crowd relaxes in the greenery of the Torrigiani Gardens for Effetto Serre, one of the city summer highlights. Manifattura Tabacchi has opened the new Giardino della Ciminiera for summer 2020 with a sprinkling of yoga, brunch, DJ sets and neighbourhood bike tours, while Santarosa Bistrot remains a serene space for drinks with friends.
Anconella Garden, access from via di Villamagna 29/d
Serre Torrigiani, via Gusciana 21
Manifattura Tabacchi, via delle Cascine 33-35
Santarosa Bistrot, lungarno di Santa Rosa
LAUNCH / Rental Diaries book launch
July 8, 6pm
Mary Gray’s rental musings
The rental scene has shifted somewhat with the pandemic, but Mary Gray captures it as it once was in her book Rental Diaries, based on the longstanding column published here in The Florentine. Join Mary and the TF team for a summer community event and book launch—we’ve missed seeing you all! The event is free; Ruffino is generously providing a glass of wine, and Rental Diaries the book costs 12 euro. Email redazione@theflorentine.net for more details and grab a copy here.
Serre Torrigiani, via Gusciana 21
