Summer in Florence, among many things, means music, whether in festivals or concerts or across the city in gardens and other outdoor venues. Here we have compiled a list of the main ones, I’ll try to update if I learn of any new ones for this summer.
FIRENZE ROCKS! – JUNE 13-16
The first one that kicks of the summer is rock festival Firenze Rocks! at the Visarno arena located within the Cascine Park on the western end of the city. From June 13-16, the arena will host the likes of Ed Sheeran and The Smashing Pumpkins. Also on the billboard are:
Tool
Dream Theatre
Snow Patrol
Zara Larsson
Eddie Vedder
Glen Hansard
Nothing but Thieves
The Cure
Sum 41
Editors
For more details, check out https://www.visarnoarena.it which has links to buy tickets on BoxOffice Toscana.
A CIELO APERTO – JUNE 27 – JULY 25
Moving a bit closer to the city, we have a mix of sounds at the open air arena, the Cavea, at the opera house, home to the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.
The arena will host many artists on their Italian and European tours, this is who is on the program for this summer:
- 06/27 Stairway to Heaven – Norge & Orchestra Nuove Assonanze
- 07/01 Edera night – Eugenio in Via Di Gioia. galeffi. Lupineri. LE LARVE
- 07/04 The Beatles Revolution – Abbey Road Anniversary Tour – The Beatbox: A Tribute to the Beatles
- 07/06 HAKEN
- 07/08 Negrita
- 07/11 Franz Ferdinand
- 07/14 Marlene Kuntz
- 07/25 Calexico and Iron & Wine
Tickets can also be found again on BoxOffice Toscana, while you can get updates on the concerts on the Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/ACieloApertoFlorence/
MUSEART FESTIVAL – JULY 13-24
We move on into the historical center, right in the heart in Piazza SS Annunziata with the MUSEART Festival running from July 13 through the 24.
This cultural festival hosts all of arts, from dance to music to theater. In the program this summer, there is Roberto Bolle and Friends, Francesco de Gregori, Rock the Opera and Loreena Mckennitt.
To check out dates, complete program and buy tickets, go to https://www.bitconcerti.it/musart-festival-2019.html
ITALIAN BRASS WEEK – JULY 21-28
This year marks the 20th edition of the festival dedicated to offering training and visibility to young musicians from across the world in a location such as Florence.
The dates for Italian Brass Week are set but the program has not yet been updated on the official site or Facebook page, so if you’re interested, check back closer to the dates.
FIRENZE JAZZ FRINGE FESTIVAL – SEPT 11-15
In it’s third edition, the festival has been confirmed for this September for a full 4 days of jazz music in the Oltrarno, all completely free. Piazza del Carmine will be the main stage but the Zattera or bank along the Arno between Ponte Vecchio and Ponte Santa Trinità will also be another setting, including Santarosa Bistrot, Circolo Rondinella del Torrino and the Tasso Hostel. Each place will transform into a jazz club to bring together musicians from Tuscany, Italy and the world in 4 packed days of music that will also help discover the areas in the Oltrano.
Check out the complete program on the official site.
“MUSICAL SATURDAYS” AT THE ART PARK “PAZZAGLI”
I just got an email with the information for these June musical events at the Park Ecorinascimento Pazzagli along the Arno river, to the east of the city (address is Via Sant’Andrea a Rovezzano, 5). The park is pretty cool, with contemporary sculptures all around the park by the artist Enzo Pazzagli. Green lawns and cypress trees set the background for the sculptures, where anyone but especially families can take along a picnic, enjoy the art and let the kids roam free (there are several works from the Carnival in Viareggio on display intended for the kids). The park is in general open from 11am to 7pm every weekend, a donation of €6 is asked of adults and kids over 2 (those under 2 free). If you wish to join a guided visit and learn about the contemporary works of art, there is always one on the weekends at 11am, 3pm and 6pm and lasts 45 minutes, led directly by the park’s artistic director. To get to the park by bus, take bus #14A in direction “Girone”, and get off at the stop “Aretina S’Andrea” which is right in front of the park entrance.
I would like to send you to the full program on the park’s website but for now the site has not been updated. This is what you can find for now: http://www.ecorinascimento.com/week-end-di-giugno-al-parco-darte-pazzagli/
Here’s the program of the events in June, starting always at 6pm on Saturdays. A contribution of €10 will be asked at the entrance (bookings are recommended by emailing ecorinascimento@gmail.com).
June 8 – “OPERETTA” – the opening events in which the most famous opera songs will be showcased, such as Maria from “West Side Story” by L.Bernestein, “Smile” by Charlie Chaplin and – “The desert song” by Sigmund Romberg.
June 15 – “SENSATIONS/SENSACIONES” – Music and Literature
Soprano, tenor, authors, vocalists, dance and keyboards. This evening has a mix of interesting songs and theatrical pieces, including:
– “Chanson Hindoue” R.Korsakoff
– “La vie en rose” E.Piaf
– “Malaguena” J.Jimenez
– “Iperbole” F.Nietzsche
– “Historia de un amor” C.Almaran. (dance)
and others.
June 22 – “IL GATTO IN CANTINA (A Cat in the Basement)” – a Musical comedy
June 29 – “BAILANDO CANTANDO” – an evening of Flamenco dance and Latin American music, with tenor Tiziano Zazzeri, Alessandro Ciardini playing violoncello and dancing, and Maria Teresa Spinelli, also for dance. Some of the songs on the program include:
– “Malaguena” E. Ramirez
– “Deja Que Salga la Luna” J. A. Jimenez
– “Capulito de alelì” R. Hernandez
– “Besame Mucho” C. Velazquez
– “Valencia” J. Padilla
– “Adoro” A.M. Canche
– “Historia de un amor” C. Almaran
MUSIC AS PART OF “ESTATE FIORENTINA”
There are various musical events that are part of Florence’s grand summer events festival, Estate Fioretina, which includes literature, workshops on many subjects, art, cinema and photography, live music and theater and dance.
The program starts in May and goes through the summer until October. There are events for the entire family, but you really need to search well and in Italian on the official site: https://estatefiorentina.it/events/. I will check out the main events and highlight the most interesting ones on our own page dedicated to the summer festival here, which I’m currently updating: https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-events/estate-fiorentina.html
For now, check out the musical events here: https://estatefiorentina.it/mec-category/musica/. Check out those labeled as “Musica Sotto le Stelle” (Music under the stars), which are being held at the Basilica of Santa Croce in June and in Santa Maria Novella and Bargello in July, “Firenze Suona” with live music taking place across the city (this page https://estatefiorentina.it/events/firenze-suona-2019/ has dates and locations) and the “Santarosa Summer Festival” which are held in a garden in Oltarno. The majority of events that are part of the program are free entry.
Have fun and enjoy your musical summer in Florence!
