Our
events listing keeps you up-to-date on the latest and greatest in culture,
music and other English-friendly entertainment; this is a selection of the best
of them.
V-DAY/Fall in love with art
February
14, state museums in Italy
State
museums offer 2-for-1 entrance, technically aimed at couples but valid for any
two people who go to a state museum together on Valentines’ Day to express their
love of art. State museums in Florence include the Uffizi, Accademia, Bargello,
Medici Chapels, Palazzo Davanzati and many more. Find the list online at www.polomuseale.firenze.it.
SWEET/Chocolate Festival
February
10 to 19, Piazza della Repubblica, Florence
The move
from the fair’s historic Santa Croce location to the more central Piazza della
Repubblica poses a problem for any dieters wishing to avoid addictive sweets.
Master chocolatiers explain their products and allow you to taste their work. A
cartoon about chocolate, conferences and other events promote artisan
chocolate. The festival is open from 10am to 8pm; for more information, see www.fieradelcioccolato.it.
Prepare
for the festival by celebrating World Nutella Day on February 5, Invented in 2007 by two expat bloggers living in Italy, Sara Rosso and Michelle Fabio (who are not at all sponsored by Ferrero), the sixth annual World Nutella Day continues an ever-more-popular tradition that has drawn over 26 thousand fans on facebook and has generated a collection of over 700 chocolatey recipes. Participants are encouraged to share Nutella creativity (past submissions have included photo collages and haiku) and of course, eat the yummy spread on the special day. For
details, check out www.nutelladay.com!
DUBSTEP/Skream
February
11, 10:30pm, Viper Theatre, Florence
Skream
left school at 16 to pursue a career as a DJ and producer and ended up
practically creating the dubstep genre, a musical revolution in the London
underground (see article on dubstep in this issue). The genre has conquered the
mainstream clubbing and music festival scenes and has influenced almost all
bass-based electronic music. Thanks to his 2006 song ‘Midnight Request Line,’
which was placed in constant rotation on BBC Radio1, dubstep took hold with a
wide audience. Skream’s style masterfully spans hip-hop, dubstep and jungle.
Although he is now 24, Skream is still considered a prodigy for his uncanny
ability to characterize a generation through a new sound. The night at the
Viper (via Lombardia/via Pistoiese; tickets 13 to 15 euro) is not to be missed,
with sets also from Numa Crew and Draft. See www.viperclub.eu.
PERFORMANCE/Live at the Museum
Until May
18, Marino Marini Museum, Piazza San Pancrazio, Florence
One of
this year’s coolest line-ups of what can be best termed ‘arts events’ is the
result of a collaboration among various players in the city’s arts world.
International Feel promises six evenings of live music and video/performance
art in the intimate space of the Marino Marini museum (seating is limited).
Performers come from Europe, UK, and USA (the first was Alva Noto on January
27). Next up is Austrian; Fennesz (February 17) will illustrate the silent film
‘Berlin’ (1927) with electronica that has been defined as ‘almost visual.’ Mark
your calendars for Carter Tutti (UK, March 30), Mouse on Mars (Germany, April
13), Sic Alps (USA, April 27), Nurse With Wound (UK, May 18). Concerts start at 9:30pm and entrance
costs 20 euro; optional aperitivo-buffet by Brac at 8pm in the lobby. Reserve
tickets at www.internationalfeel.it.
SOLIDARITY/Meet the Soloists
Every
Monday night in 2012, 9pm, Conservatorio Statale di Musica di Firenze Luigi
Cherubini, Piazza delle Belle Arti 2, Florence
When the
massive earthquake struck Japan last March, musicians of the Maggio Musicale
Fiorentino were in Tokyo on tour. Safely evacuated back to Tuscany (as reported
in TF 139), they said they were saddened to have had to leave Japan amidst
tragedy. In response, the soloists of the Maggio Musicale developed a concert
series in support of Japan. The 30 weekly concerts in 2012, which will be
presented individually in TF’s events list, each open with a Q&A session
with the artists. The musicians are not taking payment for their performances
and ask concert-goers to make a 15-euro charity donation per concert (10 euro
for students), which will go to the Fondazione Pediatrica Meyer and the Affinis
Foundation of Japan. See also www.maggiofiorentino.com.
OUT OF TOWN/Valdarno Jazz
Until February
26, various locations in the Valdarno
Now in
its 19th year, the Valdarno Jazz Winter Festival is always much awaited by jazz
lovers and music critics alike, who appreciate its high level of performance
and the diverse panorama of Italian jazz that it presents. It features ten
events by musicians of varying experience, from emerging Italian artists
(February 5 in Terranuova Bracciolini) to established American and
international players. Most concerts cost around 10 euro, though some events
are free. Tickets and full listing on www.eventimusicpool.it.
DESIRE/Milo Manara
Until
April 9, Complesso Museale Santa Maria della Scala, Siena
The
exhibit, Milo Manara: Rooms of Desire, which has drawn more than 15,000
visitors since its opening in October, is such a success that it is being
extended until April 9, 2012. Manara is considered the European master of
erotic illustration, and the exhibit takes the visitor on a sensuous path
through the artist’s career; audio and video accompany the original hand-drawn
still images. The exhibit’s Facebook page has almost twice as many fans-nearly
29,000 at this writing-than the exhibit has had visitors, witness to the
artists’ huge pop appeal. Alert: gratuitous images of sexy chicks and
full-frontal male nudity, so don’t bring the kids. Could be a great evening out
with your loved one for Valentine’s! For more information, see www.santamariadellascala.com (Italian)
and www.turismo.intoscana.it (English).
