Per l’occasione Firenze ha deciso di organizzare una serata a favore dell’Abruzzo: una kermesse artistico – culturale per ricostruire la Torre Medicea di Santo Stefano di Sessanio in Abruzzo. L’ evento di mercoledì 24 giugno servirà infatti a costituire la base di una raccolta fondi destinata ad avviare la ricostruzione della Torre Medicea di Santo Stefano di Sessanio, incantevole borgo in provincia dell’Aquila, la cui torre-simbolo andata distrutta dal terremoto fu fatta costruire proprio dalla famiglia de’ Medici che ne ebbe il dominio fra il 1579 e il 1743. Periodo nel quale raggiunse il massimo splendore con il fiorente commercio della lana che lì veniva prodotta per poi essere lavorata in Toscana ed esportata in tutta Europa.

I Cameristi del Maggio Musicale diretti da Domenico Pierini offriranno ai presenti in anteprima il concerto che, a luglio, porteranno a Pechino: Cjaikovskij, Britten e i Concerti per due e per quattro violini da L’Estro Armonico di Antonio VIVALDI. Seguiranno performances, videoinstallazioni e degustazioni d’alta cucina. In gemellaggio con Salemi, città siciliana più volte colpita dal terremoto, interverranno Vittorio Sgarbi e Oliviero Toscani.

Sarà possibile ammirare i “Fochi” dal Giardino di Villa Bardini, da poco eletto da una giuria di esperti uno dei dieci giardini più belli d’Italia. Dalla Terrazza Bardini si gode di una posizione panoramica unica su Firenze e per l’occasione verrà animata da un contesto di musica, degustazioni, installazioni video e fotografiche, in una lunga serata glam per aiutare l’Abruzzo, all’insegna del piacere e dell’eleganza. Dalle 18.30 fino a tarda notte.

Per la gioia del palato, dalla città di Salemi arrivano le delizie di “Salemi e Pepemi” una associazione di produttori Salemitani ideata da Umberto Montano e Oliviero Toscani per “un boccone sul tardi”: la cittadina siciliana infatti, ancora terremotata dal ’68, presta il suo contributo a Santo Stefano di Sessanio. Testimonial sarà il sindaco VITTORIO SGARBI.

La manifestazione ha scopo benefico.
La quota minima di partecipazione è di 50 euro a persona.

per info:
tel. 333 4578865 / 055 2008444 / 055 289020

Tuscany is famous for Creativity and Fantasy, the land of Master Artisans second to none in the creation of unique works of art in a number of fields.

The coming week end (May 15-16-17) the 15^th editon of Mostra Mercato Artigianato e Palazzo takes place in Giardino Corsini Florence.

A selected Clique of Master Artisans will gather to display their works and give live demonstrations of their capabilities in different areas with the use of many materials – wood, glass, jewels and jewelry, just to name a few.

This is a unique occasion to visit one of the most beautiful gardens in Florence.

More information and details are available at the Artigianato e Palazzo website here (In Italian).

David LaChapelle is a unique photographer and director well known for his surreal, and often humorous style in the fashion, advertising, and fine art photography industries. He has published books of original photography featuring portraits of famous celebrities.

At the Galleria d’Arte Poggiali e Forconi in Florence a personal photographic exhibition was inagurated on February 28^th. A collection of 40 photos and a video on the backstage of Deluge inspired by the Sistine Chapel and a outcry against consumerism.

DAVID LACHAPELLE FIRENZE
Galleria Poggiali e Forconi
Via della Scala, 35/A
Project Room
Via Benedetta, 3 /rosso
50123 Firenze
March 1 – March 6, 2009

hours: Monday – Saturday 9:30 – 19:30 Sunday by appointment

Tel. 055.287748
Fax. 055.2729406

email: info@poggialieforconi.it

www.poggialieforconi.it

Free Entrance

“I Della Robbia, il dialogo tra le Arti nel Rinascimento”

will be inaugurated.

Luca Della Robbia was the first of 3 generations of very talented artists covering more than 1 century of intense and innovative sculpting activities in Tuscany. He developed a glazing technique, significantly improving the duration of creations for the outdoors, and the exterior of buildings.

Andrea, Giovanni, Francesco, Marco and Girolamo followed in their predecessor’s footsteps and produced a charming line of creations throughout the 1400s leading into the mid 1500s.

The exhibition features other important artists of the Renaissance:

• Donatello
• Ghiberti
• Andrea del Verrocchio
• Rossellino
• Pisanello
• Filippo Lippi
• Pollaiolo
• Ghirlandaio
• Perugino

Activities for families and children, as well as guided itneraries will enrich your visit.

Arezzo is proud to welcome you. Here you will find both the the city and the beautiful valleys of the Tuscany countryside:

• Valdichiana
• Valtiberina
• Valdarno
• Casentino

The event opens on Feb. 21^st 2009 and will end on June 7^th 2009

More information is available here ( English section of the website is foreseen) .

Hotel Relais looks forward to welcoming you in any on of these fine hotels in the immediate vicinities of Arezzo:

• Castelletto di Montebenichi in Bucine
• Villa Belpoggio in Loro Ciuffenna
• Torre Santa Flora in Subbiano

All amongst the finest and best Luxury Hotels in Tuscany

Santa Maria della Scala in Piazza del Duomo – Siena, hosts an art exhibition featuring 300 masterpieces of Van Gogh, Kirchner, Munch, Guttuso, Ligabue and other world famous artists.

The art exhibition “Arte genio, follia. Il giorno e la notte dell’artista” will be inaugurated by the art critic Vittorio Sgarbi on January 31, 2009 and will remain open to the public until May 25, 2009.

This event is the result of a cooperation amongst major European Museums and Italian Psychiatric Centers to illustrate the “dark side of art” and how madness finds expression in the arts.

More information on the exhibition at artegeniofollia.it – Plan your Stay in Siena at Hotel Certosa di Maggiano, or other selected hotels in Siena

(Italian Chocolate on Flickr by Soundless Space)

Like Chocolate ? Can’t resist sweets ? If you’re in Tuscany visit the Fiera del Cioccolato in Florence starting next week. From January 22^nd Florence celebrates chocolate for 3 days in Piazza di Santa Croce from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM

Fiera del Cioccolato offers free chocolate tasting along with the opportunity to learn how to make chocolate.

Another event featuring chocolate made in Tuscany is CIOCCOLOSITÀ in Monsummano Terme, Pistoia organized by Slow Food Tuscany. This year CIOCCOLOSITÀ hosts artisans from other regions and celebrates it’s 10^th birthday (January 30, 2009 – February 1, 2009).

The traditional appointment known as “cioccolatiere in cucina” this year features Corrado Assenza from Caffè Sicilia a Noto on January 30, and Roberto Catinari, Master Chocolate Maker, and Chef Giuseppe Argentino.

Games have always “played” a significant part in our lives. A definition of a game is “a structured activity usually undertaken for enjoyment and can also be used for educational purposes.

Goals, rules, and interaction are key elements of a game and involve mental and/or physical stimulation.

If you’re visiting Tuscany and love games you’ll want to visit Colle Gioca, an event which takes place in Colle Val d’Elsa.

The event takes place on February 1^st and features all sorts of games and tournaments – a complete list is available online.

February 1st is a Sunday – spend a relaxing and interesting week end in Colle val d’Elsa at Relais della Rovere member of the Horel Relais Consortium.

The Madonna del Cardellino by Raphael is returned to the general public after 9 years of careful restoration. The masterpiece will be on exhibition at Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence, prior to the final destination in the Uffizi scheduled in March 2009.

To celebrate the event a specific exhibition has been organized:

“Love Art and Grace. Raphael, la Madonna del Cardellino restored”

The restoration was performed by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure and was a particularly difficult task.

The exhibition was inaugurated on November 23^rd and will continue through March 1^st 2009, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Via Cavour, 3

Information: +39.055 2760340

The Exhibition is open every day (with the exception of Wednesday) from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Admission tickets: € 7,00 (reduced fair € 4,00)

Antonio Davide is a well known artist now living and working in the Valdambra valley, not far from Castelletto di Montebenichi, one of our fine 4 star hotels near Bucine (Arezzo).

A prolific artist, Antonio Davide, expresse his creativity in a number of ways in painting, terracotta, ceramics, glass, video and performance with the involvement of the public.

In 2009 he will open an atelier – a sort of “renaissance shop” for those interested in the arts, where wine tasting will be part of visitors experience.

Antonio Davide has been active for 30 years and has exhibited his creations in many locations worldwide (Biennale di Venezia, and personal exhibitions in New York, Milan, Paris, Rome, Naples, Montevideo, Stuttgart, Florence, Long Island, Genova, Arezzo, Venice, Sharjah – United Arab Emirates … )

For More information on Antonio Davide visit his website: www.antoniodavide.com

Florence pays a tribute to Catherine and Maria de’ Medici with an art exhibition in Palazzo Strozzi inaugurated last Friday.

After 400 years Florence celebrates the myth of 2 of her most powerful ladies of the past with a unique collection of monumental tapestries displayed in Paris in the Galleria dei Gobelins in the Castle of Chambord.

15 spectacular masterpieces (some 5 meters high) dedicated to the legendary Queen Artemisia. The event depicted by the tapestries was inspired by the epic poem Historie de la Royne Arthemise (1561-1562) by Nicholas Houel, a tribute to Queen Catherine de’ Medici where Houel combined the events of 2 Artemisie d’antan, both queens of Caria, a region of todays Turkey.

The event is taking place at:

Palazzo Strozzi, piazza Strozzi, Firenze
Hours: Every day 9:00-20:00. Thursday 9:00-23:00. Visitors are allowed in up to 1 hour prior to closing time.
Tickets: Full fare € 10; reduced rate € 8,50 – 8 – 7,50; schools € 4.
Information: 055.2645155, www.palazzostrozzi.org.

Hotel Relais is proud to suggest any one of the following hotels in Florence while visiting this fine art exhibition:

5 star hotels:

• Villa Olmi Resort at Bagno a Ripoli
• Montebello Splendid in central Florence

4 star hotels:

Lungarno Suite in central Florence

UNA Palazzo Mannaioni at Montaione

Hotel Bernini Palace in Fiorence

Plaza Hotel Lucchesi in Fiorence

Historical Residences

Residenza del Moro in Fiorence