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3/17/2001 10:33 EST
" SPECIAL EVENTS Mon. 1: NEW YEAR''S DAY. This day is usually celebrated with a midday family meal. Tradition holds that lentils should be eaten on New Year''s Day, because they bring good fortune for the coming year. Today is also a legal holiday. ANTIQUE ORGAN CHRISTMAS CONCERTS. Florence''s Renaissance organs come to life once a year during the holiday season thanks to this series of recitals. All concerts start at 9 pm (unless otherwise noted) and admission is free. Jan. 5: Basilica of SS Annunziata, Piazza SS Annunziata Jan. 6: EPIPHANY A legal holiday in Italy (banks, stores and offices are all closed), Epiphany commemorates the arrival of the Three Kings in Bethlehem. It is also the day of la Befana, when gifts are exchanged according to Italian custom. La Befana is an old, witch-lke woman, who, like Santa Claus, knows if children have been good or bad. Stockings are hung out on the night of the 5th, waiting to be filled by the Befana with coal for the bad and sweets for the good. To celebrate this uniquely Italian tradition, natives dress themselves as the Befana, complete with head-shawl, and carry a broom. ALL MONTH: CHRISTMAS NATIVITY SCENES For those spending holidays away from home it is also a good time to become acquainted with the presepio or Nativity scene, an Italian Yuletide tradition. One of the oldest prespii in Florence is on view at San Marco, dating back to the second half of the 15th century. The bambinello (baby Jesus) in Florence, was sculpted in the workshop of either Donatello or Desiderio da Settignano. The figures wear clothing inspired by several Andrea del Sarto period drawings. Made from the same material used to construct the roof of the Duomo, the terra-cotta nativity scene in Florence''s cathedral is also of interest. At the Orsanmichele (via Calzaiuoli) wooden figures are on display These colorful painted miniatures are handmade in the Val Gardena, a valley in the Italian Alps.. FAIRS Jan. 11-14: PITTI IMMAGINE UOMO. Fortezza da Basso. Buyers and the press only. Pitti Immagine Uomo is a major international fashion event, the only of its kind to remain in Florence, the others having long since moved to Milan. A preview of the latest in men''s fashion for the autumn/winter 2001-2002 season, the show''s nine divisions are a pastiche of the various incarnations of men''s fashion, from formal wear to sporty casual, from the functional to the purely conceptual. Nearly 600 companies and 706 labelsare represented, from both time honored names in fashion such as Versace and Armani to newcomers Daryl K and Harley Davidson. EXHIBITIONS Until Jan. 7: SANTIAGO CALATRAVA: SCULPTOR, ENGINEER, ARCHITECT. Palazzo Strozzi. Open daily from 10 am - 8 pm. Admission: 7,000 lire. Though considered young at the age of 49, Calatrava is regarded as having one of the most innovative and prolific minds in the world of contemporary architecture. The exhibition includes a collection of his drawings, models, sculptures, and works from his favorite medium, watercolor. Each room is dedicated to a theme that Calatrava has developed through the years, including Flight, Garden of Sculptures, Bridges, Movement, and Flowers. The collection allows the viewer to embrace the full spectrum of his work, but the sequence of the show reveals the importance of Calatrava''s watercolors. The watercolors focus on his drawings of the human form and face, but also include process drawings from his most recent endeavor, the Cathedral of Oakland, California. Not since the ''60s, with names like Wright, Le Courbusier, and Alvar Aalto, has Florence hosted an exhibition showcasing a master of contemporary architecture. Calatrava''s work reflects the depth of his education and his mastery of kinetics, a colorful and energetic body that is certainly worthy of such an exhibition. His uniqueness, though, lies in an ability to generate a technically awe-inspiring product like his Ciudad in Valencia (a new city center constructed around a man-made lake), from a simple series of watercolor sketches. Until Jan. 12: JOSÈ SANLEÒN. Palazzo Medici Ricardi. Open 9 am - 7 pm. Closed Wednesday. Admission: 8,000 lire. In a continuation of the sister city partnership between Florence and Valencia, Spain, the Palazzo Medici Ricardi hosts an exhibition featuring contemporary Spanish artist, José Sanleòn. Sanleòn''s body of work includes pictorial tributes to important historical figures (Galileo, Picasso, Giotto), colorful impressionistic landscapes, cityscapes, sculpture and installations. (d.o.h.) Until January 13: THE EUROPEAN CULTURE OF LIBERO ANDREOTTI FROM RODIN TO MARTINI. Marino Marini Museum. Open Mon., Wed., Fri. & Sat. 10 am-5 pm; Thurs. 10 am-11 pm; Sun. 10 am-1 pm. Closed Tuesday. Admission 8,000 lire. Original bronzes are side by side with works by famous artists that served as inspiration in the interesting exhibition, The European Culture of Libero Andreotti from Rodin to Martini, which showcases the creative process of sculpting. As a sculptor, Libero Andreotti (1875-1933), mainly focused on standing nudes in expressive poses. This contrasts with his other works which were clearly modeled in the style of other famous artists. The sculptures, paintings and drawings which are spread throughout the bottom level of the museum guides the viewer through an itinerary of his development of style, from newspaper illustrations to Impressionistic sculpture. In his maturity, Andreotti headed a circle of Tuscan intellectuals who founded the Antico Fattori Literary Prize, named after the restaurant where they met. The Marino Marini Museum, a converted church, houses the Marini''s pieces, in a spacious modern setting upstairs. Downstairs is reserved for special showings where Andreotti''s works fill the entire space. It may be tough to follow the flow of the exhibition since the signs are in Italian, but in exploring the labyrinth of Andreotti intertwined with the occasional piece by Rodin, Lehmbrook, Rembrandt Bugatti and others, impressionism is brought to life in the sculptures. (m.n.s.) Until January 28: YVES KLEIN: LIFE ITSELF IS ABSOLUTE ART. Pecci Museum of Contemporary Art, Prato. Open 10 am - 7 pm. Closed Tuesday). Admission: 8,000 lire. In this exhibition,the avant-garde experimentation of Yves Klein (1928-1962), a founder of the New Realism movement (a precursor of Minimalism) is captured in 120 works that span the length of his career and show his variety of both style and medium. As a risk taker and visionary, Klein foreshadowed the changes, mutations and advances that art would undergo in coming decades. The Pecci''s stark white walls provide the backdrop for his work which decorates the nine spacious rooms of the luminous exhibition. The highlights of Klein''s artistic career, including his monochromes, Klein Blue works and nontraditional pieces, are presented in a fresh, modern manner. As a pioneer in the contemporary art world, Klein used a single color of paint - rose or yellow - to represent space. The monochromes create the effect of a multi-colored collage to contrast with the blank walls in the first room of the exhibition. In other rooms, abstract sculptures and paintings characterized by the artist''s famous invention, ""Klein Blue,"" a shocking blue pigment, startles the viewer by its overwhelming presence. The retrospective displays other equally impressive pieces that cover the broad range of the artist''s creative genius. Klein''s use of the elements and natural media, such as fire, produced a new standard for expression; one room is dedicated to these works. Unconventional forms of sculpture, such as painted sponges, give dimension to another room while adding to the show''s quintessential contemporary atmosphere. Also of interest are canvases imprinted by human models, their bodies used like stamps and captured in frozen movement. As a finishing touch, the last room presents paintings in pink, gold and blue, representing the flame motif that unifies many of Klein''s works throughout the exhibition. Ezra Pound''s words seem to summarize the artist and his extremely contemplative view of himself, life and the natural world as expressed in his many art forms, ""If a man is not willing to take risks for his own ideas, either he is worthless or his ideas are worthless."" The Pecci Museum was founded to celebrate artists who color outside of the lines. And for Yves Klein, the chosen color is, of course, blue. (n.h.) Until Feb. 4: THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF VON GLOEDEN. Sala d''Arme,Palazzo Vecchio. Open daily 10 am - 7 pm. Admission: 12,000 lire. Visitors to this show will enjoy a comprehensive perspective on the life and work of one of Germany''s great masters of photography, Wilhelm von Gloeden (1856-1931). The exposition is divided in six parts, corresponding to the artist''s principal genres: The Landscape in the Tradition of Romanticism, The Classic Portrait, The Oriental Portrait, The Anthropological Portrait, The Masquerade, The Nude, and the Genre Scene. The works presented will allow the viewer to appreciate the artist''s refined creativity, as well as his own technique of developing, resulting in an unique and characteristic ""vintage print."" The German-born photographer went to Sicily, where he would spend the rest of his life, as a 20-year-old seeking to cure his tuberculosis, Initially interested in painting, he was immediately attracted by Sicily''s picturesque landscapes and light. It was the Italian painter Francesco Paolo Michetti who encouraged von Gloeden to pursue his natural artistic talent for photography, and who introduced him to his salon of artists and intellectuals, where von Gloeden met Oscar Wilde, Gabriele D''Annunzio, and Costantino Barbella. In an age of decadent symbolism in art, von Gloeden looked to the tradition of Greek classicism for inspiration. His art is celebrated for its refined eroticism, simplicity, and a modernism that is striking even today. Von Gloeden sought diligently to portray the pure beauty of the body and nature in his work, which was admired by writer Anatole France as ""full of great style."" (a.w., Rotary ambassador) LECTURES The British Institute of Florence Lungarno Guicciardini 9 * All begin at 6 pm * Free admission Wed. 10: Meet Margaret Drabble on the occasion of the publication of La cascata, the Italian translation of her celebrated novel The Waterfall (1969). Ms. Drabble has a worldwide reputation as a novelist, having written 16 novels and two biographies. Wed. 17: The topic of the talk by Laura Winkiel is In Near Ruins: the Villa San Gerolamo."" Prof. Winkiel is a specialist in postcolonial literature and has a particular interest in Michael Ondaatje and his novel The English Patient. Her lecture will be illustrated with clips from the film, which was set in the Villa San Gerolamo. CLASSICAL MUSIC Saturday, 13 CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT with soloists Uto Ughi (violin) and Bruno Canino (piano). Music of Leclair, Bach, Grieg and Sarasate. Teatro della Pergola. 4 pm. Sunday, 14 PIANO CONCERT by soloist Alexander Kobrin, winner of the 1999 ""Ferruccio Busoni"" prize. Music of Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann and Rachmaninov. Teatro della Pergola. 9 pm. Wednesday, 17 ORCHESTRA DELLA TOSCANA conducted by George Pehlivanian with soloist Kolja Blacher (violin). Music of Varese, Bernstein and Schubert. Teatro Verdi. 9 pm. Saturday, 20 VIOLIN AND PIANO CONCERT with soloists Vadim Repin (violin) and Alexander Melnikov (piano). Music of Tartini, Stravinsky and R. Strauss. Teatro della Pergola. 4 pm. LA BOHEME opera by Giacomo Puccini directed by Jonathan Miller. Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Roberto Rizzi Brignoli and Daniel Oren. Teatro Comunale. 8:30 pm. Sunday, 21 LA BOHEME (See Saturday, 20). 3:30 pm. GALLOIS QUINTET Music of Scarlatti/Françaix, Saint-Saëns, Roussel, Debussy and Villa-Lobos. Teatro della Pergola. 9 pm. Tuesday, 23 LA BOHEME (See Saturday, 20). Thursday, 25 LA BOHEME (See Saturday, 20). ORCHESTRA DELLA TOSCANA conducted by Peter Rundel with soloist Gianluca Cascioli (piano). Music of Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Beethoven. Teatro Verdi. 9 pm. Friday, 26 MAGGIO MUSICALE FIORENTINO ORCHESTRA conducted by Vladimir Fedoseev with soloist Misha Maisky (cello). Music of Dvorak and Tchaikovsky. Teatro Comunale. 8:30 pm. Saturday, 27 FONE'' QUARTET Music of Bertok and Beethoven. Teatro della Pergola. 4 pm. MAGGIO MUSICALE FIORENTINO ORCHESTRA conducted by Vladimir Fedoseev. Music of Verdi, marking the 100th Anniversary of his death. Teatro Comunale. 8:30 pm. Sunday, 28 MAGGIO MUSICALE FIORENTINO ORCHESTRA (See Friday, 26). 4:30 pm. CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT with soloists Jordi Savall (viol), Luca Guglielmi (harpsichord) and Rolf Lislevand (theorba and guitar). Music of Marais. Teatro della Pergola. 9 pm. Wednesday, 31 LA BOHEME (See Saturday, 20). JAZZ Caffé La Torre, Lungarno Cellini 65/R. Live music and happy hours starts at 7:30 pm Mon. 1: The Emily Blues Stompers. Tues. 2: Jazz Trio with Michele Papadia (piano), Piero Odorici (sax) and Piero Borri (drums). Sat. 13: Lucia Cappelli (vocals) and Franco Santarnecchi (piano). Mon. 15: Blues with the Lucio Morelli Quartet. Tues. 16: Nicola Vernuccio (double bass) and Leonardo Boni (guitar and vocals). Mon. 22: Blues with Patrizio Del Luca. Tues. 23: Jazz and blues with Nadiua Angilella (vocals) and Massimiliano Calderai (piano). Mon. 29: Blues with the Scomodo Trio. Tues. 30: Lucia Cappelli (vocals) and Franco Santarnecchi (piano). FILMS IN ENGLISH Cinema Odeon, Piazza Strozzi (every Mon. & Tues.) (call 055/214068 for show times) Mon. 8: DUETS starring Gwyneth Paltrow. Tues. 9: CHICKEN RUN, voices by Mel Gibson and Miranda Richardson. Mon. 15 & Tues. 16: CAST AWAY starring Tom Hanks and Helen Hunt. Mon. 22: AUTUMN IN NEW YORK starring Richard Gere and Winona Ryder. Tues. 23: SAVING GRACE starring Brenda Blethyn. Mon. 29: SMALL TIME CROOKS starring Woody Allen and Hugh Grant. Tues. 30: UNBREAKABLE starring Bruce Willis. Cinema Fulgor, Via Maso Finiguerra 22r (call 055/2381881 for show times) Thurs. 11: SMALL TIME CROOKS starring Woody Allen. Thurs. 18: UNBREAKABLE. starring Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis. Thurs. 25: WHAT LIES BENEATH starring Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer. "
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