Here’s our round-up for August 11-18
Painting, Puccini, and summer serate at Area Pettini make up this week’s plans, with, of course, celebrations for Ferragosto on August 15. Here’s your best events of the week line-up for August 11-18.
The 68th edition of the festival dedicated to the maestro Giacomo Puccini celebrates the composer’s legacy with spectacular performances from July 15 to August 27. This week sees Madama Butterfly on August 13, with a repeat performance on August 26. Other dates to make note of include Tosca on August 12 and 20 and Turandot on August 19+27, held at the Gran Teatro Puccini in Torre del Lago.
It’s Ferragosto! Ruffino’s Poggio Casciano estate celebrates with aperitivi from 6.30pm to 8pm, with a delicious dinner to follow featuring bistecca alla Fiorentina, all made more merry by a one man band. Cocktails such as ‘Un Americano a Firenze’ and ‘Il Conte Negroni’ cost 8 euro, served with schiacciata bread made from local flour. Keep the celebrations going with a barbeque in the estate’s gardens, choosing between Florentine steak, sweetbreads, tongue, udder and liver served with vegetable ratatouille, and pork steaks, ribs, blood sausage and pancetta served with beans in olive oil or grilled vegetables served with barbecued, leaf-wrapped goat cheese. Dine while one man band Manuele Colamedici performs with his guitar, harmonica, bass drum and cymbals.
The Salvatore Ferragamo museum showcases a fascinating exhibition that looks at the life of women in 50s and 60s Italy, mixed with a focus on Wanda Ferragamo as a wife, mother, and entrepreneur. From items such as Marilyn Monroe’s shoes to early Olivietti typewriters, the wide-ranging exhibition features advertisements of the era, items of clothing, and objects used in daily life. Cost 8 euro, 5 euro reduced. A free virtual tour of the exhibition is available online, for those unable to visit.
August events organized by Spazio Giovani C.U.R.E and Fico Bistro at Parco Pettini Burresi in Le Cure keep the community together for summer serate spent listening to live music, sipping aperitivi in the vast green space with playgrounds for children on site for younger visitors. From jazz nights to children’s theatre, there’s something every evening of the week.
Music meets art in a series of events at Villa Lena to raise funds for the IRIS association in support of Ukrainian refugees. The ‘Paint to Music’ series led by Tal Walker (Royal College of Music, London) and Sue Dray (London College of Fashion) fuses music and art in visual performances that take place on August 13, 18, 25 and 31. Tal Walker, the Israeli/Beligian renowned pianist, specializes in a French repertoire, having transfixed audiences with his wide-ranging performances that have included concertos by Mozart and Schumann. Joining him will be Sue Dray, an icon in the fashion industry who has worked with Vivienne Westwood and is currently course director at the London College of Fashion. She will respond to the piano music with a live painting on a large canvas, breathing life into the music. Tickets cost 20 euros with all proceeds to the Iris Toscana ODV charity. A 20 % discount is available for groups of more than 3 people. Kids under 6 go free, with material provided for them to create their own interpretations. Purchase tickets.
