MUSEUMS/Amico Museo
Until June 5
Various museums in Florence and Tuscany
Piazzale degli Uffizi on Earth Day 2016
The annual Amico Museo is a series of initiatives spotlighting the best of Florence’s and Tuscany’s museums. Family-geared activities, guided visits and hundreds of events take place across the region in both famous and hidden venues. This year there’s a special focus on programming at Tuscany’s memorial museums, or the converted former homes of poets, artists, authors and others with deep connections to the region. The main event this week is the Europe-wide Night at the Museum on Saturday, May 21, where participating venues offer free or reduced entry and extended evening hours. In Florence, the Uffizi and Accademia will both be open from 7pm–10pm, and the Bargello from 8pm to 11pm, with 1 euro admission at all three museums. Additional Amico Museo programming can be found here.
MUSIC/Tempo Reale: Progetto Primavera
May 21–28
Limonaia of Villa Strozzi, via Pisana 77, Florence
Evan Parker and Walter Prati
Experimental sound is at the forefront of this spring music festival, which brings together emerging and established players on the international electronic music scene. Two key performances will be “Pulse,” featuring free jazz musician and saxophonist Evan Parker in tandem with electronic guru Walter Prati (May 21, 9.30pm), and the Maggio Elettrico: Open Music #1 event, part of the 79th Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Festival and featuring the Tempo Reale Electroacoustic Ensemble (May 27, 9.30pm). For more information, visit Tempo Reale’s website.
BIZARRE/Jesters, peasants and players at the Medici court
Until September 11
Andito degli Angiolini, Palazzo Pitti, piazza Pitti, Florence
Roughly 30 works, mostly from Palazzo Pitti’s deposits, have been taken out of storage for this fascinating glimpse into comical and bizarre characters that figured heavily into 16th, 17th and early 18th century genre painting. Marginalized and occasionally monstrous court jesters, half-clothed dwarves, oddballs and gamblers make frequent appearances in these peculiar scenes. This figurative trend originated in northern Europe during the 16th century but eventually became prominent in various Italian schools of painting. The exhibition offers a cheeky look into the playful undercurrents of otherwise rigid life at the Medici court: the figures represented were tasked with entertaining and clowning around for the nobles. For additional information, call 055.2388616.
SUN/Florence Summer Week by Yelp
May 23–29
Various venues in Florence
Ph. Cassie Prena
Think the only thing to do during the high tourist season is hide from the crowds? Think again! Yelp Firenze will show you the best places to embrace Florence’s “bella stagione” in this series of events in top summertime spaces. Highlights include the kickoff event at La Sorbetteria gelateria in piazza Tasso (7.30pm, May 23); a Greek aperitivo at Relais Le Jardin (7pm, May 25); and the opening of the Grand Hotel Minerva’s rooftop pool bar (7pm, May 26). All events are open to the public except a May 29 evening at Vanilla Club, reserved exclusively for Yelp Elite members. Some require booking. View the official Facebook event here and the full program in English here.
EXPLORE/National ADSI Day
May 22
Various venues in Florence and Tuscany
Villa di Bivigliano. | Ph. ADSI
This Sunday, escape the city chaos and go exploring in some of Tuscany’s most tranquil spaces. The Tuscan chapter of the Associazione Dimore Storiche Italiane will open the gardens and courtyards of more than 80 historic residences and villas for National ADSI Day. Openings in central Florence will include the Palazzo Pandolfini (via San Gallo 74); Giardino Torrigiani (via Serragli 146); Giardino Corsi Annalena (via Romana 38); Palazzo Corsini (lungarno Corsini 10); Palazzo Rucellai (via della Vigna Nuova 18) and numerous others; view the full list here. Hours are from 10am–1pm and 3pm–7pm. The Città Nascosta organization will offer 5 euro guided visits broken down into four separate itineraries: Palazzo Pandolfini and Palazzo Zuccari (10am); Palazzo Gerini, Palazzo dei Cartelloni and Palazzo Ginori (11.30am); the San Francesco di Paola garden and Torrigiani Gardens (3pm); and the Giardino Corsi Annalena, Palazzo Frescobaldi, Palazzo Antinori di Brindisi and Giardino di Palazzo Wagnière-Fontana Elliott (5pm). For additional information and to make reservations, write to info@cittanascosta.it or call 055/6802590. Just outside Florence, highlights include free guided visits at the Medici park of Pratolino (offered from 10am–1pm and 3pm–7pm; tel. 055/4080721) and the Villa di Bivigliano, which will also offer a free wine and food tasting in its garden (open from 10am–7pm; tasting event from 1pm–3pm; tel. 335/1368989).
COMING UP
James Bay at the Obihall on June 3.
Catch the Brit Award winner and singer-songwriter in concert! Snag a special ticket discount (25 euro instead of 34.50) for TF readers here. (pickup required at the ObiHall’s ticket office at 7.30pm, June 3).
