Events in Tuscany | PlanningaTour.com

Tuscany – The Viareggio GAMC

In spite of sensational posters for the Futuristi centenary Exhibitions in Milan, Rome and other italian cities during the first part of this year i was too lazy to get on a train and actually check them out. Of course i had bumped into the occasional striking painting in galleries abroad, and the flashing, whiriling colours set in the chaos of urban modernity did call for attention. But male glorification of machinery, the exaltation of the large, fast and powerful, the triumph of technology over nature surely something to be taken in small doses?
The 1909 Manifesto of the movement’s founder Marinetti encompassed virulent rejection of tradition, both political and artistic, comprehensible in a young man in a new century.
“We wont no part of it, the past, we the young and strong Futurists” but he also ranted about the cleansing power of war (igiene del mondo) and indeed Futurismi s often linked with Fascism.
However, stunning full page plates of Umberto Boccioni or Giacomo Balla contained in cofee table tomes with stressful titles such as 100 Paintings to See Before you Die sagge away at me, and i have to admit the aesthetics were powerful. I really wanted to know more. What a stroke of luck then that Viareggio should come to the rescue with a genuinely small dose in the shape of the exhibition Il Futurismo a Viareggio e in Versilia.
A stroll along the promenade, some designer window shopping and an hour in the GAMC (Galleria di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea) wouldn’t take much effort.

GAMC “Lorenzo Viani” Palazzo delle Muse, Piazza Mazzini, Viareggio.
Tel. 0584 581118
Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10.00-13.00 and 15.30-19.00
Entrance euro 3,00
More informations on www.gamc.it/

Tuscany – 5th annual Thanksgiving dinner!

Again i want to remind everyone that there isa a free lending library in Lucca!
Yes i know you can’t believe it but it’s true, and it’s been there since 2005. I’d like to invite everyone who is interested to use the “melograno Lending Library” part of the local circoscrizione library situated in San leonardo in Treponzio which ha san extensive section dedicated to books in English started in february 2005.
The books at the library are all donations and there are almost 1400, mostly fiction and biographies as well as dvd’s and VHS in english and many italian books. It works as a regular library does. Borrowing books is free and they can be kept for up to a month. Many of us expats are using its services but we would like to see an increase. Feel free to bring in any books you would like to donate.
See bottom of article for opening hours and address! Activities are occasionally organized at the library in english, thanksgiving dinners, wine tasting etc.
Again for the fith year we’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving thursday November 26th with all the traditional trimings at the restaurant L a Cantina di Alfredo in Colognora di Compito.

Desco in Lucca

Il “DESCO” in italian it’s a rather elegant, literaty way of saying “table”.
Not table as in four-legged piece of furniture, but rather table as in “the pleasures of the table”. Or put another way, “enogastronomia” and try saying that without salivating.
For the seriously food and wine-addicted, Lucca’s annual celebration of the table returns to the Real Collegio on 14th novembre and then runs every weekend into december. This year we are promised guided tastings, cookery workshops, special guests, musical entertainment, and the active participation of Lucca’s restaurants, (look out for a new guide “I Pellegrini del Gusto”) as well as the usual full range of local produce from arond the region.
Not be missed. More on what to expert in the estende solida weekend programme for 5-8 december in next month’s Grapevine (featuring “Lucca Slow” devoted to the Slow Food campaign and also the now annual invasion of the Scots) but here are some highlights to look out for in november.

14/15 november
Tasting of Colline Lucchesi and Montecarlo red wines; children’s coockery workshop making “i biscotti della Befana”, cookery demonstration by restaurant Gli Orti di Via Elisa; quick course in wine-tasting;
AML and Frog ballet present Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring”.

21/22 november
Tasting of Colline Lucchesi and Montecarlo red wines; i “tordelli lucchesi” presentation by the International Academy of Italian Cuisine in Lucca; cookery demonstration by the Resaturant L a Tenuta di San Pietro; introducing the organic wines;
Special guest: Azienda Agricola Matteucci, tasting a new olive oil www.aziendaagricolamatteucci.com
Dance spectacular by Fuoricentro Danza

28/29 november

French wine tasting featuring fine wines from Burgundy; olive oil and bread/olive oil and fish presentations by the International Academy of Italian Cuisine in Lucca; cookery demonstration by restaurant Il Botton d’Oro of San Lorenzo a Vaccoli; and everything you ever wanted to know about cocktails!
Concert by the Scuola di Musica of Borgo a Mozzano; etno/pop/jazz concert by the band 5 km a Sud.

Entrance is free, for the detailed programme in full, see the site: www.ildesco.eu

Tuscany – Halleluja! Lucca Gospel Festival 2009

Chorus: Joyful Angels Lucca

Lucca Gospel Festival 2009 is a collaborative project by the province of Lucca and Maestro Vijay Pierallini, creator and artistic director of the Festival. Vijay Pierallini, who has been at the forefront of gospel for over a decade, has created the “Halleluja!”
This year the festival is aimed specifically at Tuscan gospel choruses and ensembles, and is naturally intended for all citizens of Lucca.
The hope i sto enrich the cultural offerings of lucca as a city of music, already host to prestigious musical events ranging from classical to lyrical to jazz by opening the door to gospel, a musical genre until now little know or appreciated in our community.
The world’s economic crisis ha salso affected the province of Lucca, including the bodies which have traditionally financed cultural events. This has meant significant cuts both in the days and number of activities in the Festival. Nevertheless, this year’s Festival will be very exciting. It will take place over two days, entirely within the city walls, at three sites: the ex Real Collegio, the recently rebuilt Chiesa dei Servi, and as in the past the Sala Tobino of Palazzo Ducale, for the concluding event.
Along with “Vijay and Joyful Angels – Lucca Gospel Chorus” which was fonde and directed by Maestro Pierallini, four other groups without a doubt some of Italy’s best gospel choruses will principate: Voice of Heaven (Pisa), Joyful Sin gers (Carrara), For Joy (Florence) and the marvellous Jubilation Gospel Chorus (Livorno).

FRIDAY 6 NOVEMBER
6 p.m. Ex Real Collegio, Lucca
Chorus: Vijay & Joyful Angels – Lucca Gospel Choir
9.15 p.m. Chiesa dei Servi, Lucca
Chorus: Jubilation Gospel Choir – Livorno

SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER

9.15 p.m. Palazzo Ducale
Sala Tobino, Lucca
Chorus: Voices of Heaven – Pisa
Chorus: For Joy – Firenze
Chorus: Joyful Sin gers – Carrara

All concerts are free and open to the public.

Tuscany – November Fest in Pisa

November Fest, the city of Pisa offers special features and originality of products from 12 to 22 november.
The visitors will find an atmosphere like “October Fest” in Monaco: pork shank, sausage, cheese, strudel and the famous “Pretzel” a big bread of Bavaria, also great German music.
Eleven days of entertainment with so much beer as “Herrnbrau of Ingolstadt.
Inside the event there is also a playground.

More informations on: www.novemberfestpisa.com
Contacts: info@novemberfestpisa.com
Infoline: NUOVA KROS 050.777176
Where: EXPO Pisa – S.S. 206 Emilia – Ospedaletto