Teatro Niccolini: A theatrical renaissance in Florence

Teatro Niccolini: A theatrical renaissance in Florence

Don't miss Jeff Goldblum at Teatro Niccolini on September 20, 2024.

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Sun 21 Jul 2024 11:19 AM

All Florence is a stage and all people that appear in the beloved enclave are not merely players, but the spirits that make Florence one of the most exciting cities in the world. Of course there are the fine arts, but there is also the symphonic, operatic and solo world-class Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, a music and opera festival presenting and celebrating some of the greatest artists on the globe. There is Amici della Musica, a musical series featuring some of the best soloists and chamber ensembles in Europe. There are pop stars, rock stars, stadium concerts, Broadway-style musicals, cabaret, underground bands, dance clubs and more.

Teatro Niccolini: new cultural programming in September

Teatro Niccolini

Now there are two of Florence’s historic intimate theatres where world-renowned artists will engage with Florentine audiences and international guests. One is Teatro Niccolini near the Duomo on via Ricasoli. The oldest theatre in Florence, built in 1648 as a model for the larger Teatro della Pergola, in the last decade Teatro Niccolini underwent restoration under the auspices of the Pagliai publishing family. Ready for artists and audiences in an acoustically perfect hall, Florence’s jewel of a theatre will begin the coming season with film and stage star Jeff Goldblum, who recently moved to Florence, along with his jazz band and plenty of audience interaction. Jeff is known for his roles in movies like Jurassic Park, Independence Day, and so many more. This coming season he stars in Netflix’s Kaos and plays the Wizard of Oz in the upcoming movie Wicked. It will be a joy to experience Jeff’s globally recognized art in an intimate way, beginning with the season opener at Teatro Niccolini on September 20, 2024.

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Jeff Goldblum speaking at the 2019 Phoenix Fan Fusion in Phoenix, Arizona. Ph. Gage Skidmore via Wikipedia

Producing and presenting events of this sort is, well, me: Hershey Felder, filmmaker, stage artist, pianist, composer and “whatever is necessary for art” person. That’s the reason why I created FirenzeOnStage, an umbrella organization in Florence that enables me to incorporate my international producing experience in theatre and film, and bring these projects and guests, both Italian and international, to audiences in the Renaissance city. As artistic director of Teatro Niccolini and Teatro della Signoria, which is now undergoing restoration, my team and I are making plans for our first season of productions that will focus on “World Virtuosi“, those who are recognized globally for their contributions to performance and communication art. There are no rules about disciplines, anything goes, from musicians to stage artists, speakers, leaders, filmmakers, television creators, AI and technology innovators, and more. The goal is to hear from these trailblazers who are virtuous in their goals and execution.


Hershey Felder and Antonio Pagliai shake hands in Teatro Niccolini

This all came about as I made my forever home in Bagno a Ripoli. As a pianist by first profession as well as an opera lover, conductor and composer, being in the city where the piano was invented (Bartolomeo Cristofori, Uffizi, 1770) and where the first opera was composed and performed (Sala delle Muse, Palazzo Tornabuoni, 1594) means that nothing could be more relevant than to have performance art to share with our friends, neighbors and contemporaries.

Over the years that I have been a resident in Florence, I have performed pieces for audiences in Italian, created an opera based on a little-known story about the Carabinieri during the Nazi occupation and made films featuring Florence, Tuscany and Venice. These works brought me to the attention of local producers. When these ancient miraculous theatres were looking for artistic directors, my name came up, and in warm Florentine style, one of the local impresarios sought my interest. I asked, “Why not you?” To which he replied, “Me and my partners, eh, we’re too old.” Hardly, but they had been running theatres and stadiums for 40 years and thought I would be the right fit. I was introduced to the theatre owners and restorers, and FirenzeOnStage was born.

Teatro della Signoria

The FirenzeOnStage team during the ongoing restoration at Teatro della Signoria. Ph. @marcobadiani

The second theatre is Teatro della Signoria, situated right by the namesake piazza. The theatre had previously been known as Teatro Nazionale, but when star architect and the theatre’s owner and restorer, Marco Casamonti, asked me to take over the artistic directorship, I had to think of a name inspired by the sense of place. Teatro della Signoria honors the first governing body of Florence and the piazza that still maintains the name and heritage. Our brand identity reflects the colours of Sala dei Gigli, a grand blue and gold room in the Palazzo Vecchio facing the theatre, still the seat of local government today.

When Marco’s architectural firm, Archea, restores this gem dating to 1720, the theatre will have three spaces: a Sala Grande with 300 seats, a jazz club with 80 seats and a private dining club with 50 seats, plus the most glorious 360-degree views of Florence from the theatre’s rooftop, used for special events. While upholding and respecting the stunning architectural heritage, the theatre will feature state-of-the-art technology in an 18th-century context. Just imagine the magic that can happen there.

Bringing these two theatres to life are members of my team in Italy and my international team from the United States: the director of my plays, Trevor Hay, from Chicago and San Diego; Annette Nixon, producer and theatre director, originally from San Diego; Lilla DiFlorio, born in Florence and formerly a production manager in Los Angeles; Joe Guglielmo, international marketing guru with southern Italian origins; Stefano Decarli, Florentine cinematographer; Jeremy Kalke, sound expert from Prato; production manager Jeff Baxter, rock n’ roll tour manager from southern California; Marysol Gabriel, costume designer extraordinaire; Susanna Giannini, house management director from Prato; Florentine Gabriele Corcos, food and beverage and hospitality associate; Erik Barry, lighting artist from Chicago; Erik Carstensen, sound specialist from San Diego; and many others who are joining us, so that we can bring you the very best entertainment in an intimate way, rather like the city we live in: intimate experiences with great world art.

In the coming weeks we will begin to share our programming as we confirm artists, programs, talks and cultural events. Find out more.

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