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The Splendor of Florence Festival begins on September 30
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Rather than booking a long, expensive flight to Florence, New Yorkers this fall can experience all the art and culture of that inspiring Italian city by simply taking the subway downtown.
Splendor of Florence -- an eleven-day festival of cultural, educational, culinary, and musical events honoring Florentine artists and artisans -- offers New Yorkers the chance to watch acclaimed Italian craftsmen practice their talents on wood, crystal, marble, and gold; listen to world-renowned musicians perform, view historic works of art, and sample authentic, lip-smacking Florentine cuisine all right here in Lower Manhattan from September 30 through October 10.
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| The Splendor of Florence festival debuted in 1999 in Providence, RI |
"The festival focuses on Florentines who have been creating with their hands for centuries -- the famous artists whose masterpieces grace the halls of the Uffizi Gallery, the skilled artisans who for generations have been crafting in tiny shops along the Arno River, the masterful musicians with repertories once enjoyed in the great music rooms of the Medici Palaces, and the creative chefs who take their inspiration from centuries-old recipes," said Joyce Acciaioli Rudge, founder, curator, and producer of Splendor of Florence, in a statement.
In 1999, Splendor of Florence debuted in Providence, Rhode Island. Two years later, in 2001, the festival moved on to Philadelphia where Pennsylvanians came to intimately understand and experience the rich traditions of the Florentine way of life.
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| Medici family portraits will be on display at the World Financial Center |
This year, downtown New York City will host the celebration. The Winter Garden at the World Financial Center, located at 220 Vesey Street, will serve as the heart of the Splendor of Florence fair, transformed into a "Piazza Fiorentina" where celebrated artisans from Florence and Tuscany such as Gucci, Locchi, and Bianco Bianchi, among others, demonstrate their craftsmanship in shops decorated to resemble their own in Italy.
The 2004 festival -- with presenting sponsors that include the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and the World Financial Center Arts & Events Program -- will offer all kinds of exhibitions and events. Art lovers, for example, can enjoy a unique display of 16th- and 17th- century portraits of the most powerful members of the Medici family, the world's first patrons of the arts. On loan from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the 20 portraits -- some of which have not been seen by the public for centuries -- will be exhibited at historic Federal Hall, from October 1 through November 12.
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| Federal Hall will house 20 portraits on loan from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence |
Guests to the festival will also have the chance to sample the tastes and flavors of Florence. Visiting chefs will cook up steaming dishes of Florentine delights, deliver daily wine lectures, and provide olive oil tastings and cooking lessons.
The festival will additionally include a film series, musical events like "Puccini & Friends" featuring the New York City Opera, and lectures covering a wide range of subjects, everything from Florentine architecture to Dante's Divine Comedy.
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Taste the flavors of Florence with visiting chefs who are on hand to cook up local favorites
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"I am delighted that the Splendor of Florence festival will be coming to New York City this fall," said Gov. George Pataki in a statement. "Lower Manhattan's resurgence is well under way, and as we rebuild and revitalize downtown in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, hosting the Splendor of Florence downtown will undoubtedly aid in the area's rebirth."
Admission is free to all Splendor of Florence events.
For the current calendar of events, please go to www.splendorofflorence.com or call (212) 945-0505.
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