THE "TEATRO COMUNALE" OF FLORENCE

THE "TEATRO COMUNALE" (city theatre) OF FLORENCE AND THE "MAGGIO MUSICALE FIORENTINO"

Musichas played a very important part in the artistic life of Florence; the veryfirst operawas in fact created here at the end of the 16th century, based on the theoriesandthe experiences of the Camerata dei Bardi. The temple of Florentine music today is the Teatro Comunale, home of the Maggio Musicale, which, like its twinned city Salzburg - and also Bayreuth - holds the oldest and most important Festival inEurope, further supported by concert and opera seasons of the highest quality.

The Teatro Comunale was originally the Politeama Fiorentino, designed by Telemaco Bonaiutiin 1862, an open air arena which was to give birth to the conformation of the theatre as we see it today. At present the Comunaleis formed of a huge auditorium, a single tier of boxes and two large amphitheatre - like semicircular galleries that can seat about 2000 people. The Piccolo Teatro of the Comunale, situated on one side of the main auditorium; is a really up-to-date "small theatre", capable of seating about 600 spectators.
Partially destroyed twice, by an air raid in 1944 andby the flood in 1966, the Teatro Comunale has always been immediately restoredand has come to symbolize the city's sense of responsibility and will to startagain, (as expressed in the wonderful concert in Piazza della Signoria after the bomb attackon the Uffizi in 1993).
Indispensible elements behind the organization of the performances are the scene dock and costume shop while the technical staff (electricians, stage hands, sound technicians etc.) has always won the praise of the various artists with whom it has worked.
The stage of the Comunale has born ewitness to the triumph of some of the most famous names in music of our times, among them conductors like Vittorio Gui, Bruno Walter, Wilhelm Furtwangler, Dimitri Mitropoulos, Zubin Mehta, Von Karajan and Muti; the wonderful voice of Maria Callas made its debut here, while Pietro Mascagni, Richard Strauss, Paul Hindemith, Bela Bartok, Igor Stravinsky, Luigi Dalla Piccola, Luigi Nono, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Luciano Berio and many others came to interpret their own compositions. Some of the exceptional directors and set designers include Max Reinhardt, Gustav Grundgens, Luchino Visconti, Franco Zeffirelli, Luca Ronconi, Bob Wilson, Giorgio De Chiricoand Oskar Kokoschka.

The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino was founded by Vittorio Gui in 1933 and immediately becameone of the most important music festivals in the world. The Festival itself hasalwaysbeen characteristic for the originality of some of its basic cultural choices:one ofthese is the close attention given to the problems connected with the"visual aspect" of opera, thus some of this century's finest theatre and film directors have been called in to collaborate in the Festival as well as many famous painters and sculptors for the design of the sets and costumes. This has meant an almost constant exploration of Twentieth century music, from historic avant-garde compositions to more recent experiences, accompanied by the rediscovery of compositions and authors of the past that have fallen into oblivion.
The Maggio Musicale is normally heldduring the month of May and June but the activity of the Teatro Comunalecontinues all the year round, except for a short interlude in August, with theSummerSeason, the Autumn Opera and Ballet Season (September - December) and theSymphonic Season (January - April); it offers an incredibly wide choice ofmusicin various forms, capable of suiting all the different tastes of a hugepublic.

The Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino first came into being in 1928, again thanks toVittorio Gui,though it was then called the Stabile Orchestrale Fiorentina. Composed of about 120 musicians, this orchestra has been led by some of the greatest conductors ofour time apart from having always been admired for its extensive operatic andsymphonic repertory, which ranges from baroque to contemporary music.

The Chorus of the MaggioMusicale Fiorentino was formed in 1933 for the first Maggio Musicale under the guidance of AndreaMorosini. The Chorus is at present composed of about 100 members and itsrepertoire not only includes traditional and contemporary opera but also manyimportant symphonic compositions and chamber music.

Maggio Danza, the Corps de Ballet of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, was founded in 1967, its first point of reference being the figure of Aurelio Milloss. However the Florentine ballet company really began to assume a precise identity with the advent of Evgheni Polyakovin 1978 who was to give it a varied repertory that included modern contemporary danceas well as the great classical ballets. Composed of about 40 members, Maggio Danza has collaborated with some of the greatest étoiles in the world: Carla Fracci, Alessandra Ferri, Maya Pliseckaja, Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Eric Vu An.

Address: Corso Italia, 16
Phone (Call center telephone bookings): +39 0935 564767 | Monday - Friday from 9 to 21.30, Saturday from 9 to 16
Box Office Teatro Comunale: Corso Italia, 12 | Tuesday to Friday 10am-4.30pm; Saturday 10am-1p


Tickets: http://www.maggiofiorentino.com/?q=en/progbiglietti

Website - More info: http://www.maggiofiorentino.com/?q=en