'Something wicked this way comes' Macbeth at the Bargello

As daylight wanes over Florence, the divide between man and fate collide in this summer's performance of Shakespeare's Macbeth. The study of murder, greed, and deception will be played out in the former execution grounds of the Bargello Museum.

‘Florence English Speaking Theatrical Artists (F.E.S.T.A.) is making history as the first company to perform Shakespeare in English in a Florentine museum,' remarked Cristina Acidini, head of the Polo Museale Fiorentino, the organization in charge of Florence's most renowned museums.

‘The emphasis is very much on the metaphysical, on humanity, and the battle between the gods and fate,' said director Shaun Loftus. ‘One of the hallmarks of tragedy is man against the gods, so the idea was to put emphasis on the witches.'

Living in a society where the end justifies the means, Loftus' Macbeth is presented as a tragedy of humanity. The witches represent three primordial fates-the spinner, the allotter, and the cutter-altering the characters' lives. Inspired by Akira Kurasawa's Throne of Blood
, Loftus emphasizes that the witches' power to determine life, length of life, and the moment of death comes from the characters' belief in them.

‘I mirror the fights because I'm deciding who gets away and who dies,' explained Stephanie Taylor, who plays the cutter. ‘Our biggest fear is if these people stop believing in us because then we'll die.'

Echoing modern notions that the winner conquers all, and that immorality deserves reward, Macbeth digs into the roots of Greek tragedy, said Loftus.
The marriage between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is one of equal partners. Although Macbeth is often interpreted as weak, Simon Blackhall portrays a very warm and strong Macbeth. ‘It's a tragedy; there's no way out for Macbeth,' said Blackhall. ‘Along with that there's also a lot of humanity in the play-the visceral language equates to this rawness.'
The Florence production of Macbeth features an ensemble cast of actors from Broadway to the Stratford Theatre, from America, Rome, Pisa, and the U.K.
‘When I heard about this project, I knew I had to be a part of it,' said Baron Kelly, who has appeared on Broadway, Off Broadway, and in regional theatres across America. On his role as Duncan, the king, he recounted that Loftus told him, "‘I'm sorry you came all this way just to get killed.'"

The murders take place in the courtyard of the Bargello, where prisoners were once executed. ‘Macbeth is an incredibly bloody play, and in medieval times criminals used to be hung in the courtyard,' said Elia Nichols who plays Lady Macbeth. ‘Very little set was needed. Macbeth is set in Scotland during the Middle Ages, so all we needed was a castle.'

Works of art in Florence are echoed in the costumes, designed by Dagmar Lise Pedersen. One of Lady Macbeth's costumes, a cape with fabric relief sculptures of babies' heads, signifying a central theme of the play: Macbeth's willingness to slaughter innocence in order to fulfill ambition. It was inspired by a wooden sculpture in the Bargello, the Madonna della Misericordia.

Commenting on her approach to the production, Loftus explained, ‘We wanted a violent Macbeth to show people what not to do. We're in a world where horrible wars happen and we never see it around us-we live in a society that's become disaffected.'

Macbeth will be performed at 9pm at the Bargello from July 8 through 12. Italian translation will be projected on the wall. Tickets can be purchased from www.themacbethproject.org/boxoffice, www.boxol.it, or at the BM Bookstore, Borgo Ognissanti 4r.
This article is from The Florentine, (issue no. 105/2009 / July 2, 2009)

TUSCAN B&B VILLA LA MASSA

Our daily bread took on a much more immediate meaning during a recent stay at Villa La Massa in the Tuscan countryside to the east of Florence. Peter & Daniele, who run this gorgeous B & B deep in a Tuscan valley in the Casentino, are delightfully warm hosts who spare no effort to make their guests feel, for a time, part of the rich ritual of the country rythm which is their life. And so, on our first morning, we found ourselves in Peter’s 4WD on our way to the ancient water mill in a local village to pick up a sack of flour for more of the scrumptious homemade bread we had devoured for breakfast. We watched the big stones grinding on as they had for centuries, powered by the rush of water directly beneath us, all viewed through a fine haze of new flour. After a chat to the baker, who, with his brother, continues this family business with contracts as far off as Tesco in the UK, we collected our sack and headed into the local bar for the morning coffee ritual. No tourists ever stray here—the beaten tack is far away.
La Massa sits high on the side of the valley, flooded by sunshine for most of the day. We took the SITA coach from Florence, enjoying the spectacular scenery of the villages and mountains of the valley which follows the River Arno to its source. We passed through ancient villages and towns such as Pontassieve with its Roman bridge, and on upwards through stunning forests into the snow-covered mountains and the high pass at Consuma. This was once one of the poorest regions in Tuscany, and the traditions are still strong. At a bend in the road we alighted at a local stop signed Vertelli & made our way on foot up the lane which wends its way to the house through olive groves and across a stone bridge across a tumbling river, and on upward into the light and welcome of La Massa.
On this early spring evening the fire was already lit and the lamps were burning and the sense of homecoming was overwhelming. Peter & Daniele have thought of everything. I’m a hard marker, but over the course of our three-day visit I could not find a single thing which could be bettered. This is hospitality at its most utterly gracious, offered by hosts who really are pleased to have you.
We spent a day exploring the surrounding villages—visiting the perfectly preserved town of Poppi with its medieval castle and collonaded streets reached from below by an Etruscan footpath. Perched high on its eyrie the town sits surveying the surrounding countryside just as it has done for over eight hundred years, still silent and brooding like the castle-keep it once was. Sounds floated up from the valley below—dogs barking, church bells tolling, wisps of smoke from the plains where the prunings from the harvested olive trees are being burned.
Peter drove us to the market town of Strada in Casentino where he took us to meet his friends who run the alimentary—deli to us. We had a delightful chat about the Slow Food Movement, to which they belong, and which is now, after its beginnings in Torino, a world-wide sodality. The array of regional cheeses was enough to make me despair, and so of course we tasted them all and bought far too much, and staggered home laden with enough for forty people for forty days, but determined to eat it all the same.
At night in the valley the stars glitter as I have only ever seen them before in Australia. By day we followed the ridge-line high, high up behind the house to the very top from where you can see forever.
La Massa offers every possible comfort & joy of modernity—super comfortable beds; lavish bathrooms; fully equipped kitchens; central heating; a wood-burning stove ( with chopped & ready-stacked wood) and elegant, welcoming, comfy décor. This is the best of modern Italian design, married to casual rustic charm and thoughtful generous hospitality.
The ‘breakfast’ part of the Bed &Breakfast is no less generous—a luscious selection of goodies which included berry jam made by Daniele’s mother and of course Peter’s homemade bread, which we almost felt as if we had had a hand in making, as we had at least supervised the milling of the flour!
There is also Wi-fi internet and a gym, for those who could be bothered with the outside world or self-discipline, but I ignored both of those and even the solar-heated pool set amongst geraniums and lavender with a view across the valley. This is a place to be still and feel life eddying around you. This is Peter & Danny’s home, and the B&B is an extension of their home & their life, which we were fortunate enough to share for a short time. Lucky us!!

B&B in Tuscany - Villa La Massa

Villa La Massa visit on our links.

TUSCAN B&B - VILLA LA MASSA

Villa La Massa in the Tuscan countryside to the east of Florence. Peter & Daniele, who run this gorgeous B & B deep in a Tuscan valley in the Casentino, are delightfully warm hosts who spare no effort to make their guests feel, for a time, part of the rich ritual of the country rythm which is their life. And so, on our first morning, we found ourselves in Peter’s 4WD on our way to the ancient water mill in a local village to pick up a sack of flour for more of the scrumptious homemade bread we had devoured for breakfast. We watched the big stones grinding on as they had for centuries, powered by the rush of water directly beneath us, all viewed through a fine haze of new flour. After a chat to the baker, who, with his brother, continues this family business with contracts as far off as Tesco in the UK, we collected our sack and headed into the local bar for the morning coffee ritual. No tourists ever stray here—the beaten tack is far away.

RICK EVERINGHAM: Painter & sculptor

RICK EVERINGHAM

I thought that my readers might like to read an excerpt from the website of Rick Everingham, an Australian artist living & working in Tuscany.

'I am very fortunate to have been able to continuously paint for the last 35 years. I have worked in various studios in Brisbane, Australia, and I am now enjoying also spending part of my year in a small hill town in Italy, overlooking a beautiful Tuscan landscape.

This selection of recent paintings should give you an insight into my current work. Recently I have been experimenting with some new techniques, and new ways of presenting my paintings.

My paintings also have a subtle surface texture that I take great delight in creating. Unfortunately that detail is completely lost in this type of transmission and can only be seen by viewing the actual painting.

If you are interested in further information about any of these paintings, please contact me. I would be happy to e-mail larger, more detailed images, or possibly images of other current works that may not be yet included here.'

Tuscan Villa for Sale

Follow your Tuscan dream. Dreams are not for sale but Villa Ulivello is!


Villa Ulivello:
is a unique 19th century villa located just 10 kilometers south of Florence. It offers dazzling views of the rolling, sun-drenched Chianti hills.

The property comprises 14 hectares of farmland, olive groves and vineyard, and three habitable dwellings, as well as three agricultural buildings.

Experience the serenity of the past and enjoy the panoramic vista, as you drink wine from your own vineyards and cook with olive oil from your own trees.

Within twenty minutes you can immerse yourself in Florence, the heart of the Italian Renaissance, or explore the surrounding area and discover the charm of its medieval hill towns.

Things to do in Florence

The big museums are thrilling, but in many ways I prefer the smaller and more personal experiences in Florence. The small museums, Casa Horne & Casa Buonarrotti are both fascinating.

Santo Spirito and The church of Il Carmine is a must. The whole area here is one of the oldest and most interesting of all. You cross the Ponte Vecchio, turn right into Borgo San Jacopo, and follow along, following the signs to Santo Spirito and Il Carmine. It is the artisan quarter & full of little workshops and antiques etc. In Piazza Santo Spirito, apart from the church, is Palazzo Guadagni, where 'A Room with a View' was shot. The church of the Carmine has some of the most important frescoes in Florence. Masaccio's frescoes of The Fall are extraordinary.

In Palazzo Medici, the tiny Benozzo Gozzoli chapel is exquisite. Go in the afternoon when it is not crowded.

Chiesa di Beatrice is just around the corner, near Dante’s house. This is said to be where Dante first met Beatrice.

The Bargello is the old seat of the Podesta` or Governor, and is now the sculpture museum. You have to join a group and it's worth it not only for the sculptures but for the architecture.
This is true of Palazzo Vecchio too, which suceeded the Bargello as the seat of government.

The church of Santa Croce is one of my favourite places. All the greats are buried there, including the tomb of Dante although he is not really buried there but in Ravenna. The cloisters are full of della Robbia, and The Leather School at the back is pure art.

The oldest Pharmacy in Florence is Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella in via della Scala off Piazza Santa Maria Novella, is wonderful. No longer a pharmacy really but a perfumery, it is beautiful.
When you go to have a look at it, visit the Museo Allinari on the way. It is the photgraphic museum and a stunning record of the city.

Museo di Firenze Com'era (Florence Once Upon a Time) is wonderful. It traces the development of Florence from the Etruscans to the 20th century, and had a great diorama of the medieval city.

Museo delle Scienze, the Science Museum, has Gallileo's documents and much more.

Museo Stibbert is full of arms and weapons etc and is very interesting.

Have a coffee or a drink on the terrace of the department store La Rinascente. You go through the store to the top floor, and you can look out on the Duomo and all the rooftops.

The Foundling Hospital or Ospedale degli Innocenti, is a beautiful building and has a museum which is very touching -- bits and pieces from the belongings of all the babies abandoned over the centuries, and the Foundling wheel, where the babies were placed is at the end of the portico.