EXPERIMENTAL/Musica BluDecember 16–18French Institute, piazza Ognissanti 2, Florence
Coming fresh on the heels of the super-successful Tempo Reale Festival back in October, Musica Blu is a new Florentine initiative aimed at supporting emerging stars on the electronic music scene. The three-day event will host a presentation by French sound artist Gilbert Nouno, featuring Françoise Berlanger and actress Anna Romana (December 16), a heady piano performance from Caterina Poggesi and Oumoulkhairy Carroy and a series of concerts by Andrea Borghi, Giovanni Lami and Francesco Brasini. For more information and to purchase tickets, call 055/717270 or visit Tempo Reale’s website.
ph. via Officine Nora
SHOP/To Market!December 11–13 and continuing throughout the monthVarious venues in Florence
Shop local and handmade this season! Plenty of pop-up shops and holiday markets are opening this weekend, offering a range of funky Florentine gifts for everyone on your list. Head to La Serra MK Textile Atelier (via Salvestrina 1) on December 11 for the Creative People in Florence holiday pop-up shop, which will feature one-of-a-kind items from group members and a hot chocolate bar beginning at 5pm. The shop will stay open until December 13; email creativepeopleinflorence@gmail.com for more information. The international jewelry crew behind Officine Nora will also have their wares up for sale in their ultra-hip workspace from 6–10pm on December 11 (via dei Preti 4r). Sales will continue through December 24. On Saturday, Lungarno and The Hub will team up to host Dammi Lustro, a day of free mind-mapping workshops followed by LungarnoXmasClub, a Christmas market with DJ sets and an aperitivo from 6.30pm (The Hub, via Panciatichi 14 Edificio F). Finally, if you’re on the hunt for home goods, decor and clothes, head to the Christmas edition of Unusual Market (11am–11pm, December 13, Palazzo Pepi, via de’ Pepi 7).
ph. Alexandra Korey
ILLUMINATING/F-LIGHT Until December 27 Various venues in Florence
Let there be light! It isn’t just the twinkling Christmas bulbs that are brightening up the city this season. During the F-light Festival, which lasts until December 27, many of Florence’s most famous monuments and squares will be illuminated with colorful projections and videomapping technology. Every evening from 6.30pm until midnight, the Ponte Vecchio will be the backdrop for centuries of art history retold through projections: see iconic works from the Roman Empire, the Florentine Renaissance and even contemporary photography. Other nightly shows will take place on the facade of Santo Spirito, the Convento di San Paolino, and piazzas Pitti and Firenze. The festival also touches down at Porta Romana, the Mercato Centrale, Palazzo Vecchio and beyond. The full program, which includes themed shows and guided visits, is available on the festival website.
THEATRE/StorytimeDecember 11 & 12, 7.15pm St. James American Church, via Bernardo Rucellai 9, Florence
‘Tis the season for family-friendly fun in Florence! This weekend, FESTA Kids theatre group will put on two performances of A Hans Christian Andersen Christmas, a show featuring some of the Danish writer’s most famous fairytales—given a holiday twist. Enjoy excerpts from The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Little Match Girl and many more beloved stories, all performed in English. Both shows begin at 7.15pm and entry is free, though donations are happily accepted. For more information, call 338/9180867 or email Elia Nichols.
INSTALLATION/Paola Pivi December 11–February 28, 2016 Palazzo Strozzi, piazza Strozzi, Florence
A multicolored ‘stairway to heaven’ makes its way to the courtyard of Palazzo Strozzi this week. Contemporary Italian artist Paola Pivi has constructed an inflatable staircase that will be on display in the Renaissance palace all through the winter. Nonfunctional (that’s right—no climbing), bizarre and purposely out of place, the installation will deliberately clash with the ordered and symmetrical structure where it’s housed, creating a surreal experience for viewers. Pivi works between Alaska and New Delhi. The inauguration will be at 6.30pm on December 11, and entry is free.
