The birth of opera
On May 17, 1050 in Florence, a music revolutionary named Guido d'Arezzo died. This Benedictine monk, also a music teacher, who had been driven out of his monastery for his innovative ideas, designed the musical notation system that is still in use today. An extraordinary invention that exempted artists from having to learn by ear each of the pieces of music and song they wanted to perform. Tuscany will also be the cradle of a real musical evolution with the arrival in Tuscany of Cardinal Ferdinand de Medici. He brings with him the choreographer Emilio de Cavalieri, the lutenist Antonio Archilei and the singer Vittoria Archilei, his wife. Under his leadership, musical life was intense and developed until the emergence of a new genre that would revolutionize the history of music at the end of the 16th century: opera. Cellist Luigi Boccherini and composer Luigi Cherubini are children of Tuscany, but the glory of this region is first and foremost Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924). Initially an organist, he had followed a musical training in Milan which he would later use in the service of theatre and opera. His first works were immediately successful (Le Villi, Edgar, Manon Lescaut). In 1896, he created his masterpiece La Bohème, then the famous opera Tosca in 1900, and Madame Butterfly in 1904. Together with Rossini and Verdi, it is one of the pillars of the history of Italian opera.
Important theaters
The city of Florence has many theatres offering music, theatre, comedy, dance or even magic shows. Take the opportunity to admire their magnificent decorations, which are an integral part of the city's heritage. The Teatro Niccolini is the oldest theatre in the city and one of the first modern theatres in Europe. He had hosted Florence's oldest drama academy with the Concordi troupe. Now a cultural centre, the theatre reopened in 2016, after twenty years of renovation. The new Opera di Firenze was created to replace the old Teatro Comunale, which previously hosted all the great operas. It offers three halls, including a 2,000-seat outdoor auditorium. The hall is strongly linked to the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, a music festival created in 1933 and famous all over Italy. Characterized by the originality of its artistic choices, the festival continues each spring to further explore 20th century music. An orchestra, a choir, as well as a ballet, the Maggio Danze Maggio Danza, are associated with the place. The Teatro Comunale, like the new opera house in Florence, owes its reputation to its exceptional programming. Great contemporary conductors such as Wilhelm Furtwangler, Vittorio Gui or Bruno Walter have performed there. Richard Strauss, Bela Bartok, Igor Stravinsky and Karlheinz Stockhausen came to perform their works in their own time. Big names in directing such as Luchino Visconti, Franco Zeffirelli and Bob Wilson were also invited. Other venues are used to host shows in the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, such as the Teatro Goldoni, an architectural showcase built at the beginning of the 19th century and restored in 1997, run by the Opera of Florence. The Camera Fiorentina Orchestra performs in one of the oldest churches in Florence, Santo Stefano al Ponte. Here you can hear the greatest works performed by outstanding soloists.
The Teatro della Pergola is renowned for its quality and avant-garde programme. A theatre that has been unofficially owned by the State since 1925, but only became part of the public heritage in 1945. History says that it was in this theatre that the first private boxes were created. They were attributed to wealthy families who wanted to get rid of any inconvenience caused by the proximity of the neighbourhood, noise, but also fights in the theatre. Teatro Verdi is the headquarters of the ORT (Regional Orchestra of Tuscany) and offers contemporary music and a wide variety of shows.
Theater Festivals
The Inequilibrio Festival (ex-Armunia Festival) takes place in July at Château Pasquini in Castiglioncello, since 2000 under the artistic direction of Massimo Paganelli. It consists of a theatre and dance programme, always with a search for originality. In Certaldo, near Florence, the International Street Theatre Festival is held every year. The medieval city is a perfect place for a show that immerses visitors in 14th century Tuscany. Monticchiello Teatro has the specificity of appealing to the inhabitants of the city who become actors for the duration of a performance. For its part, the Radicondoli festival has chosen to give a special place to experimental theatre and new dramaturgies.
Classical music
Tuscany hosts several important events, the most famous of which is the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago, the country's oldest opera festival, a tribute to the composer Giacomo Puccini who lived there for more than thirty years. The fervour around the artist continues and the festival welcomes 40,000 music lovers each year in a vast amphitheatre located on the shores of Lake Massaciuccoli. The composer's birthplace was transformed into a museum in 2011. The visitor discovers Puccini's daily life, with a visit to his studio or office. The Incontri in Terra di Siena festival celebrated its 25th anniversary. It is organised on a family estate and in historical sites around Siena. The artistic direction of the festival is provided by Grammy Award winning cellist Antonio Lysy.
The Musical Instrument Museum is located in an annex of the Gallery of the Florence Academy. It exhibits about fifty musical instruments from the Medici family's collection. You will discover some rarities, including violins and cellos made by the famous Antonio Stradivari, one of the most extraordinary luthiers in history.
Between pop and classical : Andrea Bocelli
The most famous blind tenor in the world was born in the Pisan countryside of Lajatico in 1958. As a child he learned the piano, the flute and the saxophone, but above all he sang. At the age of 12, he won the Margherita d'Oro in Viareggio for his interpretation of O Sole Mio. But he enrolled in university anyway and finished his law studies before dedicating himself completely to music. Caterina Caselli launched him into pop music while he began a parallel opera career. In 1996, he moved the whole world with the hit Con te partirò and in 1997, back in his native land, he performed at the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago. In 1999 he released his album Sogno, which included a duet with Celine Dion. His popularity has not diminished in recent years: since 2010, his name appears on the famous Walk of Fame in Hollywood; he also sang the Ave Maria at the wedding of Prince Albert of Monaco with Charlene Wittstock in 2011.
Jazz in Tuscany
In Florence, the Jazz Club, located in the historic center, offers live music every night on its small stage. Open for over 25 years, the club has two large, dimly lit rooms. Please note that like most clubs, you will need to purchase a yearly membership before you can enter. The NOF Club is not exclusively jazz, but this club, near the Ponte Vecchio, has a particularly pleasant and warm atmosphere. You'll want to come back again and again. An additional advantage is that the price of the drinks remains affordable.
Many festivals, organized during the summer, also allow to combine music and relaxation. You will be spoilt for choice, between the Gray Cat in Follonica, which hosted Archie Shepp, the Music Pool which combines jazz, rock and popular music, but also Siena Jazz, the Valdarno Jazz Festival, Sarteano Jazz and Blues, or Volterra Jazz. Vivere Jazz, in Fiesole, is the largest open-air festival in Italy and is held in the city's wonderful Roman theater.
Rock side
Several major figures of Italian rock have emerged in Tuscany. Among them, Gianna Nannini, one of the most famous singers abroad, thanks, in particular, to her single I maschi (1987). The ingredients of its success? Undoubtedly his raspy voice, his feminism and his search for provocation. Thus, in 1979, the cover of his album California represented a statue of freedom with a vibrator in hand and the disc contained a hymn to masturbation. Rather blues and soul, Zucchero has enjoyed international success for more than thirty years. He has worked with artists of the calibre of Miles Davis, Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello and Ennio Morricone and has sold over forty million records worldwide. The group Litfiba has also long been a reference in Italian independent music. After several line up changes, the latest recordings are less convincing.
Live music and festivals
To listen to music, the Glue is the reference in Florence. You will have to pay an annual membership to enter, but this will allow you to attend concerts and also to follow the whole artistic program of the place that also offers cinema, theater or photography exhibitions. La Città is a literary café located in the San Frediano district. The place, whose walls are covered with books, turns into a bar every night and offers live music, between folk, blues, rock and jazz, with an appetite for acoustic music. The Six Bars Jail is a folk club of reference, managed by passionate people. You will hear great guitarists from all over the world. Firenze Rock is one of the biggest festivals of the Italian summer, with Metallica headlining in 2022. The program of previous years was strongly marked by metal music, with Aerosmith, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne and Judas Priest. Lucca and its province also host an important festival: the Lucca Summer Festival, an event organized since 1998 in Piazza Napoleone, which transforms the small Tuscan town for a few days into a music city. For music lovers, there are a couple of record stores in Florence where you might find that special gem: Rock Bottom Records, a little away from the center, and Data Records 93, which opened in 1977 and has withstood the record crisis thanks to its loyal customers.
