Millions of visitors from every corner of the world flock to Florence to admire Michelangelo’s David and Botticelli’s Primavera, to climb to the top of Brunelleschi’s Dome, and to savor wonderful food and wine while gazing onto the spectacular hills of Tuscany. Few are aware, however, that they are at the birthplace of great Italian opera or at the spot where the pianoforte was invented. Music has always played a crucial role in keeping this great city alive and flourishing. Musical offerings of highest international quality animate its theaters, palaces, churches and piazzas and help to prevent this capital of world culture from becoming just a spectacular backdrop for another selfie.
“Your support of American Friends of Florence Music (AFFM) contributes towards maintaining one of the crucial wellsprings of not only Italian, but world musical culture.”
Zubin Mehta
Honorary Chairman of AFFM
This living Florentine musical tradition must be preserved, supported and nourished, which requires not only institutional backing but crucial assistance from private donors. It is with this goal in mind that American Friends of Florence Music (AFFM), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has been founded.
AFFM believe that culturally-aware and generous Americans will help in our efforts to keep Florence, a treasure that belongs not only to Italy but to world heritage, a vibrant and thriving one, now and for future generations.
An all-year classical music festival
The discerning visitor cannot help but notice the abundance and variety of world-class classical music on offer in Florence. The Florentine classical musical scene is practically an ongoing, all-year, classical music festival.
The Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino offers outstanding seasons of operatic and symphonic masterpieces conducted by the world’s leading maestros with the participation of top opera stars and instrumental soloists. The spectacular productions in one of Europe’s newly built and finest opera theaters garner international acclaim. Challenging and innovative productions that are traditionally presented in the annual Maggio Festival, one of the oldest and most prestigious in Europe, further highlight the theater’s superb chorus and orchestra.
…the Florence Orchestra performed the famous Three Tenors in Caracalla concert directed by Zubin Mehta? It became the best-selling classical music album of all time and won a Grammy Award.
…the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino’s spectacular production of Puccini’s Turandot, created by Zhang Yimou and conducted by Zubin Mehta, was the first Western opera to be performed in the Forbidden City of Beijing? This historic event was captured in the award-winning documentary film, The Turandot Project.
…over the last fifty years, the Maggio Musicale Orchestra has had two of the world’s most famous maestros, Riccardo Muti and Zubin Mehta, as its principal conductors? Throughout its history, luminaries such as Wilhelm Furtwängler, Bruno Walter, Otto Klemperer, Herbert von Karajan, Leonard Berstein, Claudio Abbado, Lorin Maazel, Carlo Maria Giulini, Carlos Kleiber, Georg Solti, Seiji Ozawa and many others have made great music with the Maggio Musicale Orchestra.
…many of the most prominent composers of the 20th century have conducted their works in the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino? To name a few: Richard Strauss, Pietro Mascagni, Paul Hindemith, Igor Stravinsky, Luigi Dallapiccola, Krzysztof Penderecki and Luciano Berio.
The Amici della Musica Firenze, one of Italy’s oldest and most prestigious chamber music organizations, from October through April offers an exceptional season of three concerts a week performed by the cream of the crop from the international music world, plus a unique festival dedicated to promising young talents in September and master classes led by some of its star artists throughout the year. The concerts take place on the stage of one of the oldest theaters in Europe, the Teatro della Pergola.
Did you know that…
…the Teatro della Pergola is considered Italy’s oldest opera theater? It was built in 1656 and was the first to be constructed with the opera boxes in superposed tiers.
…Amici della Musica Firenze audiences have heard legends of the past and present? Nearly all of the world’s greatest musicians have performed on its stage: Toscanini, Schoenberg, Horowitz, Backaus, Cortot, Bartók, Serkin, Borodin Quartet, Alban Berg Quartet, Guarneri Quartet, Emerson Quartet, Juilliard Quartet, Yo-Yo Ma, Christa Ludwig, Kremer, Kavakos, King’s Singers, Hilliard Ensemble, The Swingle Singers, Comedian Harmonists, Argerich, Maisky, Kissin, Peraiha, Sokolov, Schiff, Pollini, Lupu and countless others!
Other noteworthy musical venues of the city include Teatro Verdi, which serves as home to the exciting and innovative seasons of the Orchestra della Toscana. Over the years, this orchestra, which dedicates itself to bringing classical music to the cities and towns of the entire Tuscan region, has built a faithful and appreciative audience that transcends age and social class.
Did you know that…
…for 160 years, what is now Teatro Verdi was the largest opera theater in Tuscany?
Teatro Verdi was built on the site of the infamous medieval Florentine prison for debtors, Isola delle Stinche? Many famous Florentines ended up behind its bars, such as Giovanni Villani (1280-1348), who wrote the first history of Florence La Nova Cronica while serving time.
The Orchestra da Camera Fiorentina, a small chamber orchestra, performs regularly in one of the most beautiful and prominent landmarks of the city, Orsanmichele.
Did you know that…
…this remarkable building served, in medieval Florence, as the church for all the trade guilds and the city’s grain storage?
Two other active and internationally relevant Florentine ensembles dedicated to early music and lesser known repertoire are L’Homme Armé and Musica Ricercata Firenze.
And if, at the moment, you are not in Florence to savor the extraordinary classical music offerings first-hand, tune in to its great classical music radio station,, Radio Toscana Classica. Its streaming broadcasts can be heard 24 hours a day all over the world: https://www.retetoscanaclassica.it/ascolta-la-radio-in-streaming/
Share this:
Address
AFFM c/o Cathy Leo
Boies Schiller Flexner LLP
2435 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, Florida 33020
USA
Email:
© 2021 AFFM
AFFM 