Monday, December 11, 2023: “MUSIC FOR PEACE 2023” Patti Smith concert part of her Tour of Italian Days. Siena Cathedral.. Admission: free with reservation [ Tel. +39 0577 286300 / booking@operalaboratori.com ]
Presented by the Archdiocese of Siena and Opera Laboratori, poet and pioneer of punk rock Patti Smith will perform her reflective songs in the sacred Siena Cathedral in a deliberate effort to promote world peace. The event begins at 9:15 pm and will prelude with a reflection by His Eminence Cardinal Augusto Paolo Lojudice.
Born on December 30, 1946, in Chicago, Smith emerged as a prominent figure in the 1970s New York City punk rock scene. Her debut album, Horses (1975), is considered a landmark in the genre and has had a lasting impact on the punk movement.
Smith’s lyrics are characterized by their poetic and literary qualities, which often explore themes of rebellion, spirituality, and social issues. In 2007, Patti Smith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, recognizing her significant impact on the music industry and enduring influence.
Patti Smith’s artistry, however, extends well beyond music as she has become a poet, visual artist, and memoirist. In 2010, Smith won the National Book Award for Nonfiction for her memoir “Just Kids,” which chronicles her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe and their experiences in the New York City art scene of the 70s.
Her current endeavor, A Tour of Italian Days, is a concert tour of 11 Italian cities accompanying the Italian release of her already bestseller, “A Book of Days,” which contains 365 images and reflections uniquely her own.
Patti writes in the book’s introduction: “A Book of Days is a glimpse of how I navigate this culture in my own way. Much of it I created during the pandemic, in my room alone, projecting into the future and reflecting on the past, and a consistent personal aesthetic.”
Patti Smith’s artistic contributions and cultural legacy have left an indelible mark on the punk and alternative rock genres, and she continues to influence contemporary music, art, and today’s social climate. (mia ruiz-garner)
