The new year is off to a good start with high fashion events, theatrical spectacles, and impressive new art exhibitions around the city.
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Here’s our round-up for January, 2023.
The new year is off to a good start with high fashion events, theatrical spectacles, and impressive new art exhibitions around the city.
The former fashion capital is back with its most coveted event of the year: Pitti Immagine. Throughout the entire month, Fortezza di Basso will host events celebrating upcoming designers while attracting the most stylish of masses. The well-known Pitti Uomo will see men’s fashion and style, Pitti Bimbo will highlight looks for the little ones, and Pitti Filati will elevate the roots of it all with a focus on textiles.
The Russian Ballet makes its way to the stage of Teatro Verdi for a performance of the classic Sleeping Beauty. The two act ballet features music by Pytor Llyich Tchaikovsky and choreography by Marius Petipa under the direction of Evgeniya Bespalova. This is an enchanting night not to miss.
This Julia Roberts blockbuster gets a fresh face on stage at Teatro Verdi for Pretty Woman the Musical. Follow Vivian Ward and Edward Lewis on their unexpected journey together, accompanied by a soundtrack composed by Bryan Adams. All performances in Italian.
Experience the famous fairytale with a new set of actors. This Tuscan-inspired version of Beauty and the Beast is performed by the Pupi di Stac company, famous for their charming puppet performances. The perfect pastime for children of all ages. All performances in Italian.
More than 50 Italian breweries and 75 craft beers will be put to the test by a panel of 100 experts over three days of tastings and competitions. Birraio dell’Anno is an annual showcase of the burgeoning craft beer scene across Italy. No refined palate is required to participate, but you can work on training yours through the guided tastings and lectures on offer. Buy the “Beer Pass” online for each session. Soak up all the beer samples with ample street food choices: Arà è Sicilia, I Griggio, Ape Scottadito and Tigellaia Matta will all have stands.
Cinema La Compagnia hosts the second edition of this film festival, kicking off with a movie marathon of 20th-century favorites. Throughout the month, movies from iconic directors Stanley Kubrick, John Ford, Jean Renoir and Marco Ferreri will be screened.
World renowned Cirque Du Soleil performers are making their way to Florence to perform at Tuscany Hall. Le Cirque will guarantee you will be left amazed by night of flips and tricks from this contemporary circus show.
Piazza Repubblica: At 11.30am in piazza della Repubblica, the Befana will make her way from the arch of the square to Rinascente in a festive spectacle to delight all ages. Sweets will be distributed to the eagerly assembled, as per tradition.
Piazza Signoria: For the first time since before the pandemic, La Befana will also make her presence known at Loggia dei Lanzi in Piazza Signoria for a celebratory passing out of candy and sweets for visitors.
Ospedale Pediatrico Meyer: La Befana would never miss her yearly visit to the Meyer Children’s hospital. As per tradition, the children will gleefully get to watch her fly in and be delighted by her generous offerings of sweet treats,
Second life is a traveling exhibition presenting the final result of an art competition promoted by waste collection company Alia Servizi Ambientali. Dedicated to young artists, the contestants were asked to explore environmental causes such as reusing and recycling. This marks the second edition of the competition and has a focus on art, sustainability and the relationship between them.
Palazzo Pitti unveils a contemporary art installation by Marya Kazoun inspired by the Nativity scene called First Act. The installation is meant to provoke viewers to reflect and act on the worsening environmental crisis our planet is facing with the hope for a better future.
Italian actress Monica Guerritore joins Teatro della Pergola for a special presentation and viewing of the movie Anna – La Nascita di un Film. The movie is the first tribute to follow the life of Anna Magnani, the first Italian actress to win an Academy Award in 1956 (Best Actress in a Leading Role). This September will mark the 50th anniversary of Magnani’s death and the film acts as a dedication to her legacy. Admission is free and reservations are required. In Italian only.
Italian painter, graphic designer and ceramist Galileo Chini is being celebrated with a series of guided tours (in Italian) following his works around several cities. After studying at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, he went on to become a pioneer of the Italian art Nouveau movement. Through these tours, participants will be able to witness his works firsthand and form a deeper understanding of his life as a 20th-century artist.
Strap on your sneakers and place your bets because the Mugello Gp run back with its 10th edition of the international race. For those who are in it to win it, the 10.49 km run will promise fierce competition. For the more leisurely jogger, the 5K will prove the perfect pace. Not to forget the children, Mugellino Kids will follow for any little ones with fast feet.
Cosenza-born artist Alfredo Pirri’s site-specific work Prospettive con Orizzonti has taken up permanent residence on the roof of Florence’s opera house. Described as a “metaphysical archaeological site”, the artwork resembles a marble quarry within which a trench has been excavated to extract the precious mineral. Given to the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino foundation by entrepreneur Emiliano Cerasi, free tours of the installation are available.
Join Speakeasy Multilingual for a Nebbiolo wine tasting at B-Station Wine Bar at via Romana 126R. Taking place on January 13, this will be an English-guided social event to try five Nebbiolo wines from different regions, each paired with a regional dish. This is a great opportunity to kick off the new year with a sparkling social calendar and make some new friends. Reservations are required and the cost is 60 euro with the inclusion of five glasses of wine and five dishes.
Female Arts in Florence presents Giò Pomodoro Morandi e Fornasetti-Artisti dell’900, a collection of works by Italian sculptor, goldsmith, engraver and set designer Giò Pomodoro. Considered one of the most important abstract sculptors on the international scene of the 20th century, the exhibition will feature mixed media works of screen prints, sculptures, drawings, and more. The collection will be on view until January 28 at FAF on Borgo San Frediano 131r.
A lecture by Linda Falcone, Artemisia UpClose! is an in-person and online event on January 18 that will explore Artemisia Gentileschi’s female nude portrait gracing the ceiling of the Casa Buonarroti Gallery. This painting’s conversation-sparking history will be discussed as well as its current restoration process that is to be presented in an exhibition this September.
Join the Women’s International Network as they ring in the new year with their first meeting of 2023 on January 18 at Palazzo San Niccolò. Alexandra Lawrence headlines the event with a presentation on Neapolitan street art and an apericena will be served. Reservations are mandatory and prices are 20 euro for WIN members and 25 euro for non-members.
The Galleria dell’Accademia is hosting a new exhibition curated by Carmelo Malacrino featuring photos by Luigi Spina of the Riace Bronze statues. Photos of the two bronze statues famously found in 1972 will be on display in celebration of the 50th anniversary since their discovery.
An ideal winter day for those seeking a little more action this holiday season, the Florence Ice Village is freezing over Fortezza da Basso with a 300-metre ice skating rink (said to be the largest one in Europe). Strap on your skates and take a spin throughout the scenic park, or for an unforgettable view of the city from greater heights, ride the photo-worthy Ferris wheel that returns this year.
