Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ENTERTAINMENT
There is plenty going
in the Oltrarno and Santa
Croce are home to lively bars
and restaurants, while clubs
tend to be situated on the
edge of town. Opera lovers
will not be disappointed;
Florence's Teatro del Maggio, one of
Italy's best, hosts some fine operas and
concerts, while Tuscany plays host to
the celebrated Puccini Opera Festival.
on in Florence and
Tuscany by way of
entertainment throughout
the year. The warm summer
months see a concentration
of events from traditional festivals, clas-
sical concerts and dance performances
to open-air films and live music in
alfresco bars. The areas of Santo Spirito
Puccini Opera Festival poster
PRACTICAL
INFORMATION
OPERA AND CLASSICAL
MUSIC
every July to August. The
Opera Barga festival show-
cases little-known works in the
restored
Teatro dei Differenti
(see p174)
. In July and August,
Siena hosts the
Estate Musicale
Chigiana
in the magnificent
abbeys of San Galgano, Monte
Oliveto Maggiore and Sant'
Antimo. The
Incontri in Terra
di Siena
festival is known for
its excellent chamber music,
and the
Tuscan Sun Festival
,
based in Cortona, has an exci-
ting music and arts programme.
Local newspapers, such as
La Nazione
and the Florence
section of
La Repubblica
, carry
entertainment listings. The
monthly magazine
Firenze
Spettacolo
, with a short section
in English, lists local events,
entertainment venues and
places to eat and drink. Look
out too for the free, bi-lingual,
Concierge Information
, which
is a useful source of listings,
and the twice-weekly English
newspaper
The Florentine
.
Websites detailing events in the
region include www.firenze.
net, www.comune.firenze.it,
and www.turismo.toscana.it.
The most important musical
event in Tuscany is the annual
Maggio Musicale festival
(see
p32)
, held at
Teatro del Maggio
in Florence between late April
and late June, and features
opera, concerts and ballet.
The theatre also puts on a
year-round programme, while
Orchestra della Toscana gives
several concerts a month at its
base in
Teatro Verdi
. From
October to April the
wonderful 18th-century
Teatro
della Pergola
in Florence
hosts world-class chamber
music concerts.
Estate
Fiesolana
organizes opera,
dance and music events from
July to August in Fiesole's
atmospheric amphitheatre.
The rest of Tuscany also
celebrates the arts. Puccini's
lakeside villa on the shores of
Lago di Massaciuccoli makes
a spectacular setting for the
Puccini Opera Festival
, held
FILM, THEATRE AND
DANCE
Films in English are shown
three times a week at the
Odeon Original Sound
in
Florence, and several other
Tuscan towns now cater
for the huge number of
foreign visitors by screening
English-language films.
Theatre has a long and
distinguished history in
Tuscany, but performances in
BOOKING TICKETS
Box Office
is a ticket agency
for concerts, opera and
ballet nationwide. Tickets
for performances at the
Teatro del Maggio
can also
be purchased at their box
office and online. It is
advisable to buy tickets for
opera in advance, but for other
events, tickets are generally
available on the door.
FACILITIES FOR THE
DISABLED
Most major concert halls and
music venues in Tuscany are
now fully wheelchair
accessible. However, churches,
villas and gardens, which hold
occasional performances, are
unlikely to be so well
equipped. If in doubt, always
check in advance. There is a
booklet published by the
Province of Florence available
at tourist offices, which details
the accessibility of many
outdoor venues in the area.
Fiesole's Roman amphitheatre is the setting for opera and dance events
