Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Florence Plays Host to the Oldest Opera Festival: Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

By Miles Stoppard

In'33, the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino was the first Italian music festival that was founded by Vittorio Gui who was an Italian conductor and composer. After the initial success of the festival, it then became a biennial event in'37. It was not until after'37 that it became an annual event. However, this was not the case during World War II.

Today, the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is a yearly opera festival that conducts contemporary and bygone operas for opera lovers all over the world in stunning productions and displays. Music has always played an important part in Florence. The very first operas that were performed were at the end of the sixteenth century and since then Italians have grown with a deep appreciation for the musical arts.

Nowadays the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, which is at the centre of musical life, is located at the Teatro Comunale, which seats up to 2003 people. Designed in'62 by Telemaco Bonaiuti, the Teatro Comunale is an open arena that is made up of large stalls, as well as two wide semi-circular galleries that illustrate the impression of an amphitheatre. When the first opera at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino was presented, opera lovers were treated to Verdi's early Nabucco. Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian romantic composer mainly of opera in the'th century. As an influential composer of his time, he frequently performed in opera houses around the world.

Since the beginning of the musical festival, it has gained international status as one of the most important Italian musical festivals. Attracting world attention, the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino performs with the basic cultural choices, maintaining the highest possible standard for the audiences enjoyment with some of the greatest conductors. Some of the conductors of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino include the founder Vittorio Gui, as well as Wilhelm Furtwngler, Dimitri Mitropoulos, Bruno Walter, von Karajan and Muti and Zubin Mehta. At present, the Artistic Director is Paolo Arc and the current conductor is Zubin Mehta.

The 2010 preliminary program suggests a feast of ballet and opera with opera performances ranging from L'italiana in Algeri (The Italian Girl in Algiers) by Gioachino Rossini, The Cunning Little Vixen by Leo Jancek, Il campanello (The Night Bell) by Gaetano Donizetti and Adriana Lecouvreur, based on the French actress Adrienne Lecouvreue (1692-1730) by Francesco Cilea. Ballet performances include the ever famous Don Quixote and Carmen Suite.

In'33, Vittorio Gui established the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, which has grown as an international success for opera lovers throughout the world. Complete with four operas, concerts, ballets and exhibitions, Italy's oldest opera festival takes place during the months of April, May and June. However, for those who cannot make it during those months will be pleased to know that the activity of the festival is present throughout the year.

Complete with concerts, ballets and the opera season, the Boboli Gardens is where you can find additional opera delights for opera lovers throughout the year.

The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino festival tickets for the 2009-2010 season are now on sale.

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