An exclusive events series curated by Destination Florence and Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino sees four occasions where opera and themed itineraries are combined in unique cultural experiences that unite the magnificence of opera with fascinating walking tours of Florence. Titled MaggioMusicArt, the exclusive experience starts with a walking tour led by an expert guide, followed by a seat at Teatro del Maggio or Teatro della Pergola to enjoy a spectacular performance.
The first in the series took place on May 15, with a guided walking tour lasting one hour and a half preceding a performance of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro at Teatro della Pergola. Taking in the hotel where the young Amadeus stayed in Florence with his father, the tour took a deep dive into the Camerata de ‘Bardi and the group of intellectuals that laid the foundations for the melodrama that spread from Florence throughout Europe.
May 31 will see Placido Domingo in the role of Francesco Foscari in I Due Foscari at Teatro del Maggio. Strolling the streets of Florence before taking a seat in the magnificent theatre, you’ll admire Hayez’s I due Foscari painting on display at the Galleria d’Arte Moderna in Palazzo Pitti, as an expert relays stories about the city’s powerful members in an artistic and narrative journey. Verdi‘s opera brings the tour to an awe-inspiring conclusion, with his story about paternal love and love of country bringing audiences through the dramatic tale of murder and plots against the Republic of Venice. See the programme and book one of the limited places.
On June 10, Ariadne auf Naxos is set to wow audiences at Teatro della Pergola. The walking tour includes a visit to the National Archaeological Museum, following a thread of works that detail mythology and the role of women in the ancient world. Get to the know the myth of Ariadne and more through Greek and Etruscan pottery and marble and bronze statues. Armed with this info, find your place at the centrally based theatre to enjoy the opera by Strauss and Hofmannsthall that explores the myth that has inspired musicians for centuries. Get your ticket.
The final event in the series will be Jean Baptiste Lully’s Acis et Galatée at Teatro del Maggio on July 6, bringing attendees on a journey down the Arno river aboard a small Renai boat to see the city from a unique point of view, boarding near piazza Mentana and heading to Ponte Santa Trinità, passing under Ponte Vecchio. The romantic voyage is the perfect precursor to the poetic story about the nymph Galatea and her love for the shepherd boy Aci, opposed by the monstrous Polyphemus cyclops. Purchase one of the limited tickets.
