The annual event Lunaria Calenzano comes to Tuscany this year on the weekend of June 14-15. This street arts festival with its magic, music and dancing takes over the medieval village of Calenzano Alto. Alto in Italian signifies ‘high’ and the fortified hamlet perches on a 200-meter-high hill (650 ft.) overlooking the modern city of Calenzano below.
Every June this street arts festival enlivens the narrow alleys and paths of the village and people are invited to come join in the festivities. This year the festival is dedicated to Dante’s Divine Comedy featuring the moods and characters of Paradise, Purgatory and Hell. Street artists entertain with creative costumes, colorful masks, make up and lighting with music and performances, dancing and singing for this magical weekend.
The program includes 20 scenes beginning with 10 depicting Inferno or Hell. Fiery explosions, flying acrobats and physical theatre with dancing demons embodying vices and passions, the first scenes build to a crescendo and culminate in a fiery finale.
Next comes Purgatory with veils of ethereal light coming out of the sea, souls awaiting as suspended dreams. As the Angel asks all who enter a single question, their answer determines their eternal path, towards Heaven, Purgatory or the hopelessness of Hell.
The final seven acts feature the light of Paradise with dance, mystery and ethereal floating beings and sounds. Eve is portrayed as the symbol of our vulnerability, the allegorical representation of innocence vs. the crafty serpent. Celestial harmonies soar and there’s the vision of perfection, a promise whispered by Paradise itself.Visitors should make plans to attend the merriments only 14 km. NW of Florence. The events begin at 6:00 PM on Saturday and 5:00 PM on Sunday. Details of the program and tickets are available on the website for Lunaria Calenzano. www.lunariacalenzano.it
